The Muse likes a little sparkle, and a little glitter…oh and I love some shimmer so of course I’m all about Jelly Pong Pong Crystallize!
Jelly Pong Pong Crystallize is a new product from Jelly Pong Pong that contains four shades of dazzling jewel like shimmers that you can use on your face, body, or hair!
The product comes in sphere compact so it’s not only beautiful on the inside but also gorgeous on the outside. Once you’ve unscrewed the cap you’ll come across a powder puff applicator and under that is a sifter that’s divided into four parts a la Givenchy’s Prsme Libre Loose Powder Quartet. The sifter does not contain a divider between each shade so it’s difficult to actually apply each shade individually however this does not take away from the effects of the powder simply because combining all four shades creates an intense shimmery finish that’s simply gorgeous.
The four shades housed in the sphere are a Light Amethyst, Tanzanite, Firestone Ruby, and White Crystal or in Muse English they are green, pink, purple, and peach! Combining the shades simply gives you a highly intense shimmery effect that’s not so much a rainbow of color but more of a simple crystal-like finish. Of course, if you prefer you can, with a little work, apply each shade separately.
I’ve been happily using this on my cheeks, face, arms, etc…and as per Jelly Pong Pong’s recommendation I mixed some with my moisturizer and applied on my skin which produced a rather fun effect on my skin! Likey!
All in all this is a rather cute little shimmer to add to your collection if you’re high on doses of sparkle like the Muse is! I’m sealing it with a Muse Approval for purchase!
A few weeks ago I had mentioned dropping a rather ridiculous amount of cash on the new makeup offerings from Target, one of the items I had hauled was an NP Set Lipgloss in Nisi.
I know I’ve been very vocal about my great disdain for Napoleon Perdis but I’ve set aside my general dislike for his really bad tan and decided to give his new NP Set Collection a go.
I admit that I have trashed his line in the pass but when it went on sale I was the first one at the door grabbing up all I could and running as fast as my little legs could carry me to the register to pay for my treasures. Hey, I have no shame what can I say?
In all seriousness I actually do believe NP Set is considerably better than his original line that was sold at Sephora. For one thing it’s a bit cheaper (not by much), the foundation does not range in the colors orange, orange, and more orange (they actually included shades that are flattering to normal skin tones this time around), and many of the items actually have very nice packaging!
Out of all the offerings I ended up purchasing only one item but it’s changed my mind and made me want to indulge further because it was actually very good. I ended up purchasing NP Set Lipgloss in Nisi for $12 USD. This particular shade quite reminded me of the pink shade released with Dior’s Spring Collection which could account for why I liked it. It’s a bright, bubblegum pink that could prove difficult to pull off on some tones but I think it ended up looking pretty good on me which I was surprised about because I was fearful all that pink would definately look horrid! But it ended up looking smashing with a bit of pink shadow and blushing pink cheeks!
The Muse sporting NP Set Lip Gloss in Nisi
One of the rather awesome features of the gloss is it’s pigmented enough to act as a creamy lip color. I didn’t have to prep my lips with a stain or a lipstick prior to use simply because the color is pigmented enough to act on it’s own at shading my lips with beautiful, glossy color. I did experience a slight problem during application as the gloss doesn’t glide as well as I’d like and it kinda applies streaky which is a bit of a pet peeve for me but…so does Dior Addict Gloss so what the heck right? The formula is super soft, super moisturizing, and super emollient.
All in all the gloss is actually very nice for it’s $12 price tag and well worth checking out. It’s available in several shades and I see myself possibly going back for a few more colors! I liked this one and think it’s worth taking a peek at!
Tried any of the new NP Set items at your local Target?
When it comes to recommending drugstore cosmetics I’m the last person in the world you want to take advice from. If you’re read my past posts you know most of my drugstore cosmetic purchases end up trashed, ripped into, and tossed aside rather quickly!
However……..
I do have a rather surprising, holy cow it can’t be true review about Covergirl TRUblend Whipped Foundation. I must be high because I’m about to rave about this stuff.
Now it deserves to be mentioned I haven’t used drugstore foundation (NOR do I recommend using it!) in years. I mean, YEARS! The last time I actually used anything by Covergirl was when I was possibly 14 or so. Needless to say my taste in makeup developed into the posh, expensive, and quality items you see posted here today on my blog and they rarely stray.
I’m particularly adamant when it comes to foundation and concealer and these two items are definately splurge material however for quite a while now I thought it was my business, as your Muse, to get out there and locate a particularly good drugstore foundation and bring it back here to review for you.
I’ve yet to find that perfect, holy grail foundation prior to this. I’ve run across bad, I’ve run across ok, and I’ve run across somewhat good however great was never located nor did I believe “great” was anywhere to be found in the drugstore foundation world.
Until now.
I discovered Covergirl TRUblend Whipped Foundation recently for a mere $8.54 USD (I actually heard someone on a forum ranting this was too much for a foundation to which I proceeded to think to myself, “are they nuts?”). Now I truly didn’t expect much but I was very impressed with the array, I mean ARRAY, of shades the foundation came in. If you can’t find your color in this selection something is seriously off with your tone! The shades range from uber light to super dark and everything in between so you’re guaranteed to locate at least one shade that’s entirely suitable and flattering to your skin tone, the Muse promises it’s true!
One of the main things that got me pumped about this particular product was the fact that Drew Barrymore is pretty much splashed all over every magazine I pick up looking seriously flawless. Granted, maybe it’s her or maybe it’s Covergirl (or was that maybe it’s Maybelline? The Muse forgets!) or maybe it’s that awesome geek guy (who could be cute ala Chuck!) that photoshopped the bejesus outta her face! Who really knows but the point is I was roped into the allure of perfect skin when I seen her promo images and decided I too, must try out TRUblend for my very self.
Thankfully my gut instincts paid off and in the end Covergirl TRUblend happens to be all that and a bag of chips (and a sandwich too!).
There are two available options for Covergirl TRUblend. You have the Whipped Foundation and you have the traditional pump style foundation. I purchased both but today I’m concentrating on reviewing the Whipped version, later this week I’ll bring you the pump version.
I know, I know, everyone is moaning about dipping their hands into a big old pot of foundation. I’m sorry and I feel your pain but get over the promise of bacteria and germs and listen to my rave before you rant!
The shade I choose for myself was 410 Classic Ivory. I choose this shade for a number of reasons but mainly because if my memory serves me correctly this was the shade I used to purchase in the Covergirl Powder compact about 100 years before when dinosaurs roamed the earth and the Muse was a mere girl of 14.
I’ll get all kinds of grief if I tried convincing a makeup artist that this was the shade I want as it’s rather light however, thankfully, no MA’s are to be found in drugstores thankfully and I safely scored the shade without hearing a big lecture about how this is SO NOT my shade! I felt semi-guilty I went so light but no one was around to witness my shame so I firgured what the hell!
Turns out 410 works a treat so nanner nanner!
Anyway.
The foundation is creamy, moisturizing, and blends like a dream while offering light, medium, or heavy coverage depending on what you deem suitable. I use a very tiny bit as the formula is extremely pigmented so this is obviously great to build color up as you see fit. I don’t recommend trying this if you’re skin is oily or you have clogged pores or pores that clog easy as the foundation is heavy in some aspects even when used sparsely.
Sporting 410 and looking wide awake!
As for me, my skin tends to be quite dry around this time of the year so it feels beautiful on and moisturizing. It blends in easily, leaving behind a dewy finish that’s flawless and natural. The lightweight texture of the foundation is particularly delightful as it feels like you have little to nothing on your face. The foundation has a darn good wear time of at least 7 hour maybe…maybe…8 if you’re lucky and set correctly with powder.
I heard a few rants about the foundation, mainly one of which was about it’s horrifying smell. Either my nose is not working correctly or everyone else is nuts because I didn’t notice a terrible smell. It actually kinda sorta smells like cherries or Jergens Almond Body Lotion.
It brightens up my dull spots, created a flawless finish for my makeup, and does a mighty find job of even concealing dark circles if I want it to act double duty as a concealer.
Fact of the matter is that Covergirl TRUBlend Whipped Foundation is pretty much as close as you’re going to get to holy grail foundation coverage in a drugstore.
I highly recommend trying it out for yourself! It’s well worth your $8 bucks and does a fine job of prepping your face for makeup!
Etude House Brightening Eyes Duo was released with this year’s Fall Collection. I like the idea that Etude House added a concealer to it’s newest releases. Not many brands concentrate on anything outside of color come Fall so the idea of releasing a concealer to go along with the rest of the selections is quite nice.
Etude House Brightening Eyes Duo consists of a stackable duo of products to brighten and conceal eyes. On top of the jar is a slide open cream concealer in a salmon color that contains hints of pink but has a dominant base of peach. Two things I found curious about this shade of concealer was the fact at how well it worked at concealing and also the unusual color choice for Asian eyes.
In consideration that Etude House is a Korean brand and mainly disturbed within this country I thought the peachy pink shade was completely unflattering for Asian skin tones. Normally concealing with a yellow based concealer works best for Asian tones but to randomly come out with a shade like this really puzzles me on how well it’ll work for those of Asian descent.
Blended
I was equally shocked that it worked well on me as I thought that the shade would be rather strange for concealing darker circles considering how flesh shaded it was. However, it does a pretty good job of concealing lighter dark circles.
The idea behind the product is to prep and prime lids and under eyes with the creamy primer that’s tucked under the main concealer in a pot of it’s own. The cream is moisturizing however this does not contain anything aside from some extra moisture for your eyes so don’t expect it to fill in fine lines or treat them by using this cream. The cream does a fine job of prepping the eye area prior to concealer and I like it very much for this purpose. The cream does is very slightly pigmented as well and brightens the eye area up a tiny bit. The cream count account for the name of the product “brightening eyes” because it does successfully brighten the eye area up prior to the cream concealer every coming into contact with your eye. After prepping with the cream you’ll follow up by using the concealer. Considering how well the cream has prepped the eye area the concealer glides on beautifully well and helps the blending process. I liked how well the concealer layered on top of the cream and created a soft focused look.
Although I love the duo and the look it left behind, it did have two main problems that prevent me from recommending this for purchase. One problem is the concealer lasts an hour, two if you’re lucky. Long wearing concealer is absolutely essential for me and this does not last long at all. The second problem is the product is good for lighter wear however it’s to sheer to conceal major problems. I personally feel like I need heavier coverage under my eyes and although this is buildable it still fails at completely covering all my woes. After 8 hours of good rest this may be good to use however if I’m looking at 6 hours of sleep and want to look like I had 12 I’ll be reaching for a better concealer for sure!
I love the idea behind the concealer and think it’s a rather perfect duo of products however the formula needs some work. I’d recommend it for younger eyes, those who have little to conceal, or if you just love cute products. I wouldn’t recommend it for aging eyes, heavy baggage and circles.
I like Etude House Brightening Eyes Duo but I’m not loving it! A little work and they could have a rather perfect little concealer product on their hands!
I’ve been wanting to try out Lavashuca Perfect Base for a long time now just because of it’s cute yet elegant packaging. The product comes in a heavy glass jar that’s beautifully vanity worthy and reminiscent of Lavshuca’s Jelly Eye Creams from a while back ago (I don’t believe they make these anymore). I liked the packaging so much I decided to get both the Moist and UV selections.
I know, crazy. Buying something because I love the packaging is ridiculous but since I’m on my quest for the perfect skin prep and primer I might as well try out Lavshuca with the added benefit of gorgeous packaging right? Indeed, the Muse’s mentality on choosing makeup does borderline on the strange and unusual.
My favorite of the two primers would be the Lavshuca Perfect Base UV. UV is a heavy duty cream that does have a slight whitening effect to it. Yes, I’m one of those crazy girls that believes in the miracles of a whitening agent. The cream is a thick consistency so I’m unsure if I’d recommend it for oily skin types considering the formula however if you have dry skin especially with the upcoming colder weather this will be a god sent. The cream is very lightly pigmented and casts a certain glow onto your face. It’s not a ghostly effect by any means but just lightens up certain dullness and gives a nice rested look to your skin however it’s not pigmented enough to forgo foundation. It’s super moisturizing and a little goes a very long way at filling pores, smoothing skin, and doing a general prep prior to foundation. It also has the benefit of containing ingredients to protect skin from harmful UV rays which is always a bonus. Although it offered fantastic moisture and prepped my skin wonderfully well for the rest of my foundation, I did not notice any really difference when it came to the length of wear on my foundation. My foundation lasted the normal 4-6 hours after use of this particular base however in defense of the product I don’t think it promises anything in regards to setting foundation for longer wear. I’d recommend this base for those who seek extra moisture even after use of their normal moisturizer, anyone who’s looking for a thicker primer to fill in pores, and finally someone who seeks UV protection.
The second base I tried was Lavshuca Perfect Base Moist base which is considerably different when compared to the UV version. This base is much lighter and the formula is completely different. The formula is water based, with a lighter consistency and a gel like texture that has a faintly pink iridescent finish that’s not completely visible on the skin. I like this base for prepping the skin prior to foundation because it makes my foundation glide on and blend easier however as far as filling pores or extending the life of my foundation I wouldn’t recommend it as it does neither. I enjoyed the consistency of the product and think it makes a rather great prep for warmer weather however right now, when my skin craves added moisture, I think the UV wins out. The base will make a rather great primer for my Summer skincare and I imagine I’ll reach for this when I’m using lighter makeup.
As you can see from my swatches below UV has a slightly white cast once blended and Moist contains a tiny amount of pink shimmer. Although each has an unique finish once blended onto my face I didn’t notice any shimmer from moist nor did I notice a noticeable change in my skin tone when using UV aside from dullness disappearing.
Both are generally good bases and I liked them alot but I found nothing particularly exciting or unique about either aside from the packaging. If you don’t have a ton of primers and bases around I’d recommend picking one of the two that would suit your skin however I’m not particularly partial to either. They performed well enough and I liked them very much but the Muse isn’t in love!
All in all a rather nice set of bases to add to my every growing collection of skin prepping items!
Indeed, that’s exactly how I feel about Vincent Longo Diamante Quad in Aquila! Who wouldn’t love all that shimmery, glittery, gorgeous goodness?
Last year two colors of these fantastic quads were introduced and I brought each rather quickly as soon as seen them pop up on Sephora’s website! I was quite happy to see the introduction of these palettes as they combine four great colors of my very favorite eyeshadow, Vincent Longo Wet Diamond Eyeshadow, into one cute, chic little quad. Loves it! Plus at $40 USD the colors are broken down to around $10 USD each which is considerably cheaper than purchasing one color at $25 USD.
This year Vincent Longo extended the color line up to include Aquila which contains an array of vibrant, shimmering shades that are ideal for Fall. I’ve collected a majority of the Vincent Longo’s Wet Diamond shadows and the shades in the Aquila quad are far different from anything available in the line which makes the palette extra special in my opinion.
The shades included are a subdued aqua that looks almost like a blue/gray shade, a deep, dark purple, a peach shade with touches of cream, and a brighter, true peach. Although the shades don’t directly go well together (at least I don’t think they do) the two peach shades paired together make a rather great Fall look and pairing the purple and aquaish shade looks great together as well!
The shadows are wonderfully pigmented and have an almost baked feel to them. They contain a good, healthy dose of fine shimmer so if you’re not a big lover of shimmery shadows you may want to avoid this quad like the plague. However, if you’re like the Muse and simply adore shadow with tons of shimmer, glitter, and sparkle this will likely appeal in a major way! The effects of the shadow creates a super soft, silky finish while adding beautiful diamond-like sparkle. Fall out is a problem during applicaton but I find with proper prepping the shadows adhere great and fall out woes are minimal!
All in all I truly love the colors in this quad and find them beautiful for the Fall and well into the Winter and even the Summer and Spring. The palette is truly beautiful to add to your collection or to get you started, as these tend to be like chips, just can’t eat one or in this case just can’t own one!
I look forward to possibly seeing another shade pop up soon as last year they first introduced Roja I believe and Cassini popped up a few weeks later so the possibility of seeing another color selection prop up shortly is definately there. I haven’t heard too much in regards to Vincent Longo’s Fall Collection but I am particularly excited about the release of Aquila so I look forward to seeing what else is introduced after!
Vincent Longo Diamante Quad in Aquila is very Muse Approved as are all the Diamante Quads!
Recent Comments