If you want your makeup to last...

There has been countless instances when my makeup would melt off my face, be it at a special occasion, sightseeing at an extremely humid holiday destination or simply having a very long day at work. Frankly speaking I got pretty fed up and made it my mission to find a solution. Something that could prolong the wear time of my makeup, without having to resort to a very thick long-wearing foundation. Lo and behold I think I found it!

Kat Von D Lock-It Blotting Powder in Light

First up is the Kat Von D Lock-It Blotting Powder. I thought that every powder is the same, oh boy was I wrong. This one is something else. It's finely milled and super smooth to the touch. It doesn't look cakey or powdery and is non-scented. The packaging is pretty neat and sturdy making it suitable for travelling and your everyday makeup bag. It's also cruelty free and vegan. On top of this it actually does the job. I can see the difference in the longevity of my makeup when I use it. It ticks almost all the boxes for me, besides being talc free. 

Kat Von D Lock-It Makeup Setting Spray (mini size)

Next up is the Kat Von D Lock-It Makeup Setting Spray. I have always been pretty sceptical towards setting sprays until I tried this one. The mist is very fine and has a slight scent, but nothing too offensive. To me it smells like cucumbers. It dries quite quickly without leaving blotchy marks or a sticky feeling on the face. It's also great in instances when you have overdone it in the powder department by toning down the powdery look and making everything appear more seamless. As all Kat Von D products it's cruelty free and vegan (not all her products are vegan though, but to my knowledge she is working towards making her entire makeup line vegan). I used this setting spray on my wedding day and I can wholeheartedly recommend it. I did re-apply it a few times throughout the day and my makeup stayed intact the whole time.

If you want your makeup to last I would suggest you check out these two products. They can be used alone or together. I don't use them on a daily basis but if I want my makeup to stay put I know exactly what to do. The only downside is that Kat Von D is not easily available here in Finland.

If you know any other products that deliver the same results let the girl know, I'd be curious to try those out!

Until next time,

Muffy

Affordable Concealer That Does The Job

It's been a while since I have ventured out into trying new concealers. For a while I was using the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer which ended up being too drying and I switched to the NARS Radian Creamy Concealer. The NARS concealer I liked, but since the brand started selling in China, I am no longer supporting it. I also wasn't too fond of spending a lot of money on a product that I go through like water. As such I decided to look into more affordable options and picked up the Catrice Liquid Camouflage Concealer. 

Catrice Liquid Camouflage Concealer in 005 Light Neutral and 020 Light Beige

I got it in two shades: 005 Light Neutral and 020 Light Beige. The 010 Porcelain was too cool toned, greyish looking for my liking. Both shades actually work well and I use them interchangeably. If I haven't gotten enough sleep I use 005, as it brightens up the under eye area really well. If I fancy a more "no-makeup makeup look" I use 020, as it's closer to my actual skin colour.

The concealer comes in a standard packaging with a doe-foot applicator. It's cruelty-free and has a very affordable price point. The shelf life is 6 months after opening. It claims to provide high coverage, be long-wearing and even waterproof. I tested it for a month and can confirm that indeed it offers good coverage and wears well throughout the day. It also doesn't settle into fine lines under the eyes and is non-drying. Whether it's waterproof or not remains to be seen. 

T-B: 020 Light Beige and 005 Light Neutral

Regardless there are a few things that I am not too keen on. Firstly, it's very heavily fragranced. It beats me why anybody would think it's a good idea to make an under eye product so fragrant. Granted the scent doesn't linger and disappears after the product is blended into the skin. Secondly, it has a VERY limited colour selection. There are only three shades to choose from and all of them fall into the fair - light category. 

Overall I am pleasantly surprised by this product and will continue using it. It's definitely one of the better concealers in the market considering the price. It actually covers and doesn't make your under eye area look like a dry prune. I do hope that Catrice expands the colour range by making it more inclusive and makes it fragrance-free.

Until next time,
Muffy

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness

It's rare that I get impressed by a product to the point that I get anxiety knowing that I can't get it easily when I run out. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness is one of those products that makes me feel this way. I picked it up on my recent trip to Singapore and it has made its way to my everyday makeup bag solidifying its position as an oh so cliche "holy grail" item.  

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness as the name suggests is a colour correcting/neutralizing cream. Even though it's of a skin colour it contains green pigment which helps to counteract redness. The product is packaged in a pot container and you get 11ml. It doesn't seem like much, but you only need a tiny amount to cover a substantial surface area, as it's very pigmented.

Among the ingredients you will find colloidal oatmeal, avocado, hydrolyzed collagen, grape seed extract, licorice root extract, tumeric root extract and aloe. It's paraben, fragrance and cruelty-free. 

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream

It's truly a miracle worker as it gets rid of redness (including acne scarring) better than any concealer I have used before. As it contains soothing and hydrating ingredients I can also use it on dry patches without it looking caky or irritating my skin. It can be used on its own for a "no-makeup makeup days" when you just want to even out your skin tone or under foundation. I have worn it both ways and have equally enjoyed it.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Correcting Cream

If you couldn't already tell, I am extremely impressed by this product. I would highly recommend it if you are suffering from redness, rosacea, acne scarring or discoloration. The only downside is that it's not readily available here in Finland. The only place I could find that ships to Finland is Beautylish, but you'd have to pay customs fees. I do hope that eventually It Cosmetics becomes more accessible for us folks residing outside the US. I did manage to pick up a few more goodies from the brand, so keep your eyes peeled for future reviews!

Until next time,

Muffy

La Belle Lune Organic Skin

One skincare product that I always have on hand is a face oil. My journey with face oils begun with the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which I used for years and still think is a great one. After that I transitioned to Dr. Alkaitis Nourishing Treatment Oil, which is fantastic value for money and has a very clean list of ingredients. However, recently I came across an indie brand, La Belle Lune and its Organic Skin face oil, which had amazing reviews and story. I decided to pick it up and have been using it for a few months now. As such I am well equipped to share my thoughts, and if you care to know more, then keep on reading! 

La Belle Lune Organic Skin 

Let's start with the experience of actually getting the product to Finland (the company is based in the UK). First of all, La Belle Lune offers free international shipping (big YES!). They make their products in small batches, therefore it takes a few days before they ship it out. When they do ship it out, you get a notification and I believe I received my parcel within a week after that. The product came in a sturdy black box, very nicely wrapped and packaged (I was pleasantly surprised). It also included a separate note listing all the ingredients - nice attention to detail if you ask me. The overall presentation and the initial contact with the brand has been excellent (better than what you get with bigger, more established brands and retailers). 

About the product packaging itself. The branding is not particularly to my liking, but I can appreciate how different/alternative it is. The product is stored in a black/dark blue glass bottle which protects the ingredients from being overexposed to light (highly appreciate that). You get 20ml of product as opposed to 30ml (standard size). I was aware of this prior to ordering, hence it did not come as a surprise. Personally I don't see it as an issue, since you don't need a lot (1-3 drops) and I'd rather re-order a fresh one once I run out. It comes with a pump, not a dropper applicator. This is something that occasionally makes me a little bit frustrated as the pump can get stuck and fails to work properly.

La Belle Lune Organic Skin

What does it contain? The oil is packed full of vitamins and nutrients such as Rosehip Seed Oil, Milk Thistle Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Chia Seed Oil, Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Rose Otto Essential Oil, Frankincense Essential Oil, Carrot Seed Essential Oil and Rosemary CO2 extract. I was especially thrilled to see the Chia and Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil among the top ingredients as they're not something you can easily come by. A more detailed description of each ingredient can be found here. 

This oil didn't disappoint. It feels luxurious, has heavenly scent (if you like lavender) and is non-greasy. It hasn't broken me out: on the contrary I wake up with calmer and plumper looking skin. Besides the amazing results and ingredients, La Belle Lune is an organic and cruelty-free brand that won't break the bank (compared to Vintner's Daughter, May Lindstrom, Sunday Riley etc.). In my opinion the price (£46.00) is very reasonable considering the quality you are getting. 

Overall there is nothing more I can say other than I won't be looking to try something new in the face oil department anytime soon! I am, however, looking forward to seeing what other products La Belle Lune will be bringing out in the future.

I hope you found this post useful. If you know of any other indie brands that are cruelty-free and worth trying do let me know!

Until next time,

Muffy

The Body Shop Skin Defence Essence SPF 50 PA++++

Finding a suitable daily sunscreen/SPF can be pretty tricky, that is why I am still on a hunt for one. For my liking it shouldn't leave a white cast, cause breakouts or feel greasy. On top of that it should provide a sufficient level of protection, have a relatively clean list of ingredients and be cruelty-free. In the past I have enjoyed using Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defence SPF 50 but it no longer ticks all the boxes for me. Hence, I decided to branch out and try Body Shop's Skin Defence Multi-Protection Essence SPF 50 PA++++.

The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Essence SPF 50++++

The product comes in a simple white tube which for some reason reminds me of asian skincare packaging. I quite like it. You get 40ml of product and it has an expiration time of 12 months. The texture is quite runny and lightweight. It absorbs extremely fast into the skin without leaving a white cast. If you are not careful and over apply (which tends to happen since the consistency is watery and it's harder to control how much product comes out) it can make your face look shiny. For me this is not an all-year-round product. I prefer something a bit more nourishing during the winter months.

It doesn't have a typical sunscreen scent, which is a bummer because weirdly enough I do enjoy it. The scent it does have, in my opinion, is quite overpowering with a strong reminiscence of alcohol. It also tends to linger on the skin for a prolonged period of time. 

In terms of ingredients it contains Alcohol Denat at the very top of the list, which explains the borderline alcohol scent. Alcohol can be drying and irritating especially for sensitive skin. Perfume is another irritant that can be found in this product and something to be wary of. Among other ingredients it has Red algae extract and Vitamin C but in rather low amounts as these appear at the bottom of the list. This product hasn't broken me out after continuous use.

Overall, I was not a fan of this product. I was actually looking forward to using it up and trying something else instead. It's overly perfumed, has a too high concentration of alcohol to be used on a daily basis, didn't do much for my skin and frankly speaking is extremely overpriced for what it is (in Finland it retails for 29,50 Euros). As such my search for a perfect SPF continues... 

If you know of any good cruelty-free sunscreen with a clean list of ingredients, do let the girl know!

Until next time,

Muffy