Mud Mask That Actually Works

I have tried an array of mud masks both affordable and higher-end. The thing is that none of them have ever left me feeling like they were doing anything to my skin. Well, that was about to change when I discovered the Sephora Collection Purifying and Mattifying Mud Mask. If you want to find out what is so special about it then keep on reading!

Sephora Collection Mud Mask Purifying & Mattifying

First of all it comes in a pretty large jar, you get 60ml of product. You don't need a lot so this guy will last you for a really long time especially compared to the Glam Glow Masks. It claims to cleanse the skin, remove impurities, unclog the pores and reduce the appearance of pores. The formula is enriched with copper, zinc and white clay. It's dermatologically tested and non-comedogenic. It's formulated without parabens. 

Sephora Collection Mud Mask Purifying & Mattifying

Many people compare this mask to the Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment. I have tried a few samples of the Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment and have to say that the concept is similar but the texture is slightly different. Sephora Mud Mask has a thicker texture while Glam Glow is more liquidy. They both follow the same logic. You apply an even layer on your face and let it dry. Eventually you are left with a dried out mud mask and you can see certain areas on your face, usually the T zone, where the impurities have been pulled out. I personally enjoy that since I can actually see that it's doing something! 

Sephora Collection Mud Mask Purifying and Mattifying

Sephora Mud Mask does have a pretty strong scent to it but I actually like it. I think what also sets it apart from the Glam Glow counterpart is that it's less abrasive to the skin. I have sensitive, prone to eczema skin and I feel like Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment can be a bit too harsh for me. I don't have this problem with Sephora Mud Mask. I think Sephora Mud Mask delivers what it says. After I use it I feel like my skin looks radiant and the pores have been cleared out. I can see that the access sebum has been absorbed. What I also highly appreciate is that it does not dry my skin out, which is the case with the majority of mud masks. And of course let's not forget about the price point. Sephora Mud Mask is extremely affordable so you can't really go wrong with it. Of course for those of us who don't have Sephora nearby it can be harder to get.

Overall I am very happy with this mask. It gets the job done and does not break the bank. If you have been eyeing the Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment and could not justify buying it, I highly suggest opting for Sephora Mud Mask Purifying and Mattifying instead. It's as good if not better. Now that I think about it, Sephora Mud Mask also reminds me of the Murad Blemish Control Clarifying Mask, but again it's cheaper and has a more pleasant scent!

Let me know if you have tried Sephora Collection Purifying and Mattifying Mud Mask and what are your thoughts!

Cheers,
Muffy

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector SPF 30

Today I am bringing your way a product that is somewhat a hybrid between makeup and skincare. It's the Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector SPF 30. I have been using this product consistently throughout the summer and have formed a pretty solid opinion. To find out what I think about it, just keep on reading!

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector SPF 30

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector SPF 30 is quite a recent addition to the Kiehl's Clearly Corrective range. I have previously tried the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution from the range but it didn't do much for me. Thus I was a little bit sceptical about this product. It comes in a handy 15ml squeeze-tube. It claims to instantly brighten the under-eye area, visibly correct dark circles and protect from UV damage & future discolouration. It contains Activated C and Licorice Root Extract. It's paraben and fragrance free. It's safe for sensitive eyes and formulated with 100% mineral filters. As you can see this little guy promises to deliver a bunch of benefits. 

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector SPF 30 Packaging

The first thing to note is that the actual product is tinted, like if you were to use a concealer. Unlike concealers that are available in an array of colours this product comes in one shade. The consistency is slightly runnier than your average concealer and you need just a tiny little bit as it's extremely pigmented. It blends out like a dream without emphasising the fine-lines. It seriously brightens and conceals. I don't need to use a corrector underneath to counteract the darkness anymore. As said a little goes a long way with this product. Prior to purchasing a full size I got a few samples, and one sample sachet has lasted me for a couple of weeks at least. Just to give you an idea how little of this product you actually need. A 15ml tube will last you for a very long time. 

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector SPF 30 

I have really been enjoying this product. For now it has replaced my trusty Bobbi Brown Corrector in Bisque and La Girl Pro Conceal in Creamy Beige. I highly appreciate the fact that it has an SPF 30, especially as I am getting older and want to take better care of the under-eye area. I don't use this product as a replacement for an eye cream but for lazy days or if you don't have any major concerns, why not. In my opinion it's not painfully expensive for what it is and how well it seems to work for me. As with all Kiehl's products you can ask for a sample and see how you get along. I would especially recommend trying out a sample first for ladies and gents with medium to deeper skin tones.

This is for sure one of my favourite makeup/skincare discoveries this year. It's a great multitasking product. It conceals dark circles and helps to look more awake. It blends into the skin seamlessly with fingers and with a brush. It does not crease throughout the day (I do set it with the powder though). If you are looking for a product that will work magic in concealing those pesky dark circles and at the same time offering skincare benefits and protection from UV damage, look no further!

Let me know if you have tried this product and what are your thoughts!

Until next time,
Muffy

Armani Eye Tints Worth The Splurge?

I am no stranger to Armani makeup. I have tried their foundations, blushes, lipsticks and mascaras (my all time favourite mascara is the Armani Eyes To Kill one). As such I was pretty intrigued when they launched their Eye Tints which were a little bit more exciting then your average powder eyeshadows. I picked two shades and have put them to good use so I can tell you my honest opinion and provide hopefully an insightful review. Shall we get right into it?

L-R: Armani Eye Tints 9 and 6

A little bit of background: Armani falls under the L'Oréal umbrella and is one of their most luxurious makeup brands. In Finland if I am not mistaken you can find an Armani counter only at the Helsinki city centre Stockmann Department Store. Since it's a higher end brand it comes with a hefty price tag. I decided to get two shades just to see if the formula is consistent throughout or not. I have the following shades: 9 Cold Copper - a brownish-taupe and 6 Green Iron - a bronzy-green. Altogether they have 12 shades in a range plus 3 new shades. I think the colour selection is great, you have  neutrals, deeper tones and pops of colour. 

T-B: Armani Eye Tint in 9 Cold Copper and 6 Green Iron

L-R: Armani Eye Tint in 9 Cold Copper and 6 Green Iron

Armani Eye Tints come in sleek packaging. You wouldn't expect anything less from Armani. It's very classy and neat. I personally like the tube-like packaging, it reminds me of a mascara weirdly enough. Unlike with mascaras that come with a brush wand you have a doe foot applicator. I think the idea is brilliant, since a lot of cream eyeshadows come in pots and you have to dip your finger to scoop out the product. The texture of these eyeshadows is somewhere in between a liquid and a cream, so it's very easy to apply and blend out. You actually get a decent amount of time to work with these before they set. They provide a smooth metallic finish to your lids. They are not shimmery or glittery by any means (at least the two shades I have). In a tube you get 6,5ml of product and that will last you a very long time, as you need just a tiny little bit. You can use these shadows as a light wash of colour for a day look or you can intensify it by layering the colour for a little bit more drama. Either way these work beautifully. 

Armani Eye Tints Applicator

L-R: 9 Cold Copper and 6 Green Iron

On the Armani website they claim for these to have 16 hours of fault-proof, smudge-free and crease-free wear. I would have to disagree with this statement. On their own without a primer I have to say they last about 5 hours before I can start seeing some creasing. With an eyeshadow primer you can get an 8-9 hour wear out of these with no smudging, creasing or fading. I have to say this is not the most long-wearing formula of cream eyeshadows I have tried and for the price you pay I would have liked the longevity to be slightly better. That being said they are extremely easy to work with and I believe would be a lifesaver for women on the go with busy schedules.

Overall I really do like Armani Eye Tints. I can't fault the texture, the quality is great, you get a variety of colours to choose from and they are especially good for those days when you don't have time to fuss with eyeshadows. However, in terms of longevity and being cruelty-free they are not the best on the market. If that is your priority I would highly recommend trying out By Terry Ombre Black Stars. They are fantastic and around the same price point.

Let me know if you have any budget-friendly alternatives for cream eyeshadows, I would love to try some!

Cheers,
Muffy

The Best Cream-Coloured Eyeshadow

If you have been following my blog for some time you know it's not the first time I mention Wet n Wild single eyeshadow in Brulee. I decided why not make a separate post on it since it has a special place in my makeup collection. As a matter of fact it's the only single eyeshadow that I have used up completely and as soon as I did I had to get a new one. If you want to find out why this little guy is so special then keep on reading!

Shortly Wet n Wild is an affordable cruelty-free brand. In my opinion they make one of the best eyeshadow pallets on the market which can easily rival some of the higher-end ones. One of my all-time favourites is the Comfort Zone palette which I have raved about earlier. Recently I have tried their Megalast Liquid Lip Color but more on that in another post. From their single eyeshadows I have used obviously Brulee, but also Nutty. Both are fantastic, but Brulee is a definite winner. 

Wet n Wild Single Eyeshadow in Brulee

Wet n Wild single eyeshadows come in simple plastic packaging, nothing fancy. I personally don't mind the design and think it's quite sturdy for what it is and pretty compact for travelling. You get 1,7g of product which is a good amount for an individual shadow. For comparison Makeup Geek single eyeshadows contain 1,8g of product. Brulee to me is a perfect creamy-nude colour. It's not too warm and it's not too cool. For example Makeup Geek's eyeshadow in Baby Face is more cool toned while Peach Smoothie is warmer/peachier. The texture is buttery smooth and you need a tiny bit of product to get full opacity. It can be slightly powdery, but I don't see it as a problem with such a light colour. Plus you can always tap your brush to get the excess product off. Now that I think about it, in terms of consistency it reminds me of the Urban Decay eyeshadows. When you apply Brulee on the lids it doesn't feel or look chalky and it doesn't leave any streaks or gaps. I use this colour every time I do my makeup. It works great as a base to help other colours blend easier or you can wear it on its own with a darker colour in a crease.

Wet n Wild Single Eyeshadow in Brulee

The only downside I can think of is when you hit pan on it big time, it can crumble/fall apart easily. To be fair I witnessed it happen to other powder products such as powders and blushes. Just don't take it with you on the go when it's in that state. Besides great quality this eyeshadow comes at an extremely affordable price point. Of course that varies depending on the location but I got mine from Bulgaria and it was around 1,99€. For my Finnish readers out there you can get Wet n Wild products from Pretty.fi or BeautyJoint (ships internationally). 

If you are looking for a staple to be added to your makeup collection I suggest you check Wet n Wild's Brulee out. It's a perfect cream-colour eyeshadow that can be used in multiple ways. Once you try it I guarantee you will never want to use any other skin-toned, neutral, cream-colour shadow. At least I haven't found anything better and I have tried a ton!

Let me know if you know of any other hidden gems out there that I should try!

Cheers,

Muffy

Murad Environmental Shield Jet Set Starter Kit

I am pretty new to Murad skincare. I heard a lot of good things about it but never really tried mainly due to the hefty price tag. Recently while browsing Feelunique I stumbled across Murad's Gifts & Sets section. I thought it would be wise to try a starter kit first before investing into a full size product that can potentially cause a breakout. I think Murad sets offer good value for money. You actually get a three step system which is all you need for a complete skincare routine. I settled for the Environmental Shield line so let's get right into the products, shall we!

Murad Environmental Shield Jet Set Starter Kit

The Environmental Shield line is aimed at targeting dull skin, fighting dark spots and wrinkles. I am up for anything that helps with dark spots and hyperpigmentation. To do so the key active ingredient is Vitamin C. I really like the fact that it's not the last ingredient on the list which is often the case with products that claim to be brightening and contain Vitamin C.

The Murad Environmental Shield Jet Set Starter Kit comes with three products. You get a Murad Environmental Shield Essential-C Cleanser (45ml), Murad Environmental Shield Advanced Active Radiance Serum (10ml) and Murad Environmental Shield Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30/PA+++(21ml). You also get a cute polka dot makeup bag where you can put your brushes as well. Let's start with the Essential-C Cleanser. It comes in a squeeze tube which I like. The texture is gel-like with orange micro-beads that help to remove oil and cell build up. It doesn't foam and you don't really feel the micro-beads on the skin. It has a natural slightly orange citrus scent which I enjoy especially in the morning. This cleanser does not irritate or dry my skin out, which is a big plus in my books. I can't stand cleanser that makes my skin feel squeaky clean and tight. Then again that is a personal preference. In addition to Vitamin C it contains Vitamins A and E. This product is one of the standouts for me from this kit. Usually Vitamin C products irritate my skin but not this one. Once I finished it, I missed having it around. The 45ml tube lasted me for about 4-5 weeks. I used it every morning.

Advanced Active Radiance Serum,
Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30/PA+++,
 Essential-C Cleanser

Moving on to the Advanced Active Radiance Serum. As with the cleanser it comes in a tube. I do wish that it would have come in a bigger size. This serum has a light-feel consistency and absorbs quickly into the skin. It will not sit on your skin. This is great for mornings if you will be applying moisturiser or primer afterwards. It's recommend that you wait for 1 min until applying  the next step in your skincare routine. I did just that every time I used this product. It has a fresh orange citrus scent like the rest. Besides Vitamin C it contains Green Tea Extract and Indian Fig. I really liked the texture of this serum and used it consistently until I ran out. The 10ml tube lasted me for a good three weeks. I used it every morning. It did not break me out or caused any irritations. Even though I enjoyed using this product I did not notice any major difference or improvement in my dark spots or scarring. I think that you need to use this product for a longer period of time to see any changes. 

The last one is the Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30/PA+++. It comes in similar packaging as the other two. In terms of texture it's a white light-weight cream that can leave a subtle white cast on your face if not blended well. As with the other products it has that orange citrus scent but it's rather mild because it's overpowered by a traditional sunscreen scent. It's packed full of Antioxidants which I appreciate. Now, this is the product I was least impressed with. Mainly because to me it's no different to any other moisturiser with an SPF factor I have tried before. I expected it to deliver more considering how pricy the full size product is. Don't get me wrong it's not bad. It's a good moisturiser but that is that. I haven't finished it yet since I am trying other products that do the same job. Also for people with oily skin I would not recommend this particular product since it leaves a slightly dewy finish to your face. 

Overall, I am very content with this purchase. I think it's a fantastic way to try out a brand that you are not familiar with before committing to spending the money on the full price product. The top picks from this kit have to be the Essential-C Cleanser and Advanced Active Radiance Serum. If you have been curious about this range I say try this kit out. Currently Feelunique is running a 20% off promotion on Murad products, so this is the time to grab it if you want to save a few pennies. 

Let me know if you have tried any of the Murad products and which would you recommend!

Until next time,
Muffy