Undetectable Base: Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow in 2 Clair/ Light

When Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow Light Revealing Sheer Make-up ($54 for 1 oz/ 30ml) first came out early this year, I admit I wasn't terribly interested in testing it out - the words 'glow' and 'sheer' bringing more apprehension than excitement to this acne-prone combination-skinned gal. But yet again, I was lucky to have a wonderful friend pass on the shade Light to me, as it was a bit too pale for her, and I couldn't be happier that I was given a chance to try it out myself.

Let me start by saying that in my book, the packaging is pretty much ideal for liquid foundation. It comes in a lightweight squishy tube with a very easily controllable pump, and the Guerlain logo engraved on the cap. By controllable pump, I mean that you can squeeze out both quite a large blob or just a teeny tiny bit, depending on how hard you push down - I tend to apply my base all over the face in small dots and add more where needed, so being able to pump out a very small amount works great for me.

Guerlain claims that this sheer foundation 'restores skin’s radiance and minimizes signs of fatigue as it unifies, smooths, refreshes, and plumps the appearance of skin' (from Sephora's website) and it features both the same light-diffusing pearl pigments technology as their famous Météorites powder, as well as the signature violet scent. And yes, it definitely has a rather strong violet fragrance that lingers for a while on the skin, so if you're sensitive to perfumes or unsure if you like violets, I'd recommend sniffing it in store before you buy - while it personally doesn't bother me at all, I've seen it being described as a 'granny scent'.

One of the things that really surprised me about Baby Glow from the very first use was the rather thick texture (maybe due to the sunscreen content?) - it does actually take a bit of work to blend it evenly across my face. I've tried both fingers and a brush (dampened with a bit of Caudalie Beauty Elixir to help spread the foundation more easily), and I found that patting or stippling Baby Glow into the skin works much better than a sweeping/ blending motion, as the pressing technique allows the product to really fill out enlarged pores and/or fine lines to the point where it becomes completely undetectable on the skin. The coverage is indeed on the light side - I was able to achieve medium by using my fingers to apply, but I think it looks much nicer when applied in a thin layer, so I'd recommend separate concealing rather than trying to build up coverage with this one.

Wearing Guerlain Météorites Baby Glow in 2 Clair/ Light on bare unprimed skin, no powder or highlighter.

Once applied, the finish of Baby Glow on the skin is absolutely beautiful: semi-matte with a subtle healthy glow, no shimmer in sight whatsoever. It does actually look like bare skin unless you look very, very closely - I hope you can see that in my face shot. It doesn't completely obliterate the dry patches around my nose, but I don't think it clung to them too badly either. I was also pleasantly surprised by how well this lasted on my skin; I had some oil breakthrough around a 6 hour mark, but the foundation didn't separate or disappear from my face, even without primer or powder on the T-zone.

L-R: Guerlain Baby Glow in 2 Clair/ Light, Bourjois CC Cream in 31 Ivory, Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Intensity 1, Revlon Colorstay in Ivory

My biggest gripe with Guerlain Baby Glow is unfortunately the shade range; there are only three shades in total and I have the lightest, which is still too dark and ugh, orange, for my fair NW10-15 skin. Because the coverage is so sheer, I can make it work, especially when I bronze up my neck or mix it with a lighter foundation, but I do wish they offered more shades. All in all, however, I'm really loving the Baby Glow and I think it's the perfect effortless foundation for the warmer months. I've been a fan of Guerlain lipsticks for a while, but after this first foray into their bases, I'm definitely more interested in their foundations and powders. Have you tried this one? What is your favorite high-end foundation?

Cult Classics: Caudalie Beauty Elixir Review

Caudalie's Beauty Elixir ($18 for 1 oz/ $49 for 3.4 oz) mist is one of those cult products I'd always wanted to try for myself and see what the raves were all about. So, after finishing a bottle of Skindinavia Make-up Setting Spray, I went ahead and ordered a bottle of the Caudalie to replace it. I could just imagine misting my face with the refreshing Beauty Elixir on a hot summer day... What a relief that would be, right? And so luxurious...

Well, my Caudalie dream hasn't quite come true though. Here are the good things about it: the mist is very fine (not squirty at all), the frosted glass looks beautiful on my vanity, and it does feel cooling on the skin for the 3 seconds before it dries. Aaand that's about it when it comes to what I like about this product.

Here's what I don't like: guys, what is the point?! Does this give my skin an amazingly glowy finish? Nope. Does it smooth or tighten the pores? Nope. Does it contain effective skin-loving ingredients? Nope. Is the smell absolutely amazing? Nope, more like spraying your face with a gentle mouthwash (combination of alcohol + peppermint scent). What the heck am I missing here?!

If I sound a tad angry at all, it's because I am. I feel that Beauty Elixir is Caudalie's golden egg-bearing goose: they put some water, alcohol, fragrance (why?!) and a few essential oils in a pretty bottle, and it rakes in amazing profits. No skincare profit for me though - I'd much rather use something like Andalou Naturals 1000 Roses Floral Toner, which actually does contain beneficial ingredients and retails for between $10-13 for a 6 ounce bottle. You can use it the exact same way as the Beauty Elixir, it just doesn't claim to be a 'part-toner, part-serum mist' - but it sure does perform better.

Beauty Elixir fans, tell me, what am I missing? Is there some magical way to make this work? I have to say that so far, my experiences with Caudalie have been less than satisfactory every single time: I strongly disliked the popular Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet, and found the S.O.S. Serum very sticky. Do you have any favorites in the Caudalie skincare range?

Luminous Matte: Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream in 31 Ivory Review

I have a soft spot for Bourjois foundations, there's no denying it. A long discontinued mattifying foundation from Bourjois was the first base I ever bought with my own money, and I still can't resist browsing their new releases when I visit Poland every year.

I've heard some good things here and there about the new-ish Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream ($18.50 for 1 oz/ 30 ml on ASOS, cheaper on Amazon or eBay), so I didn't hesitate long when I spotted it on sale - I obviously grabbed the lightest shade in the range of four, 31 Ivory. The foundation comes in a sleek squishy tube with a small spout; not particularly unique, but functional and lightweight for travel. The packaging promises luminous and smooth skin with the help of three corrective pigments: apricot to cancel out fatigue, green to eliminate redness, white to help with hyperpigmentation. It also contains SPF 15.

The foundation itself is a rather liquidy consistency (I've had some spill out on the inside of the cap when I was traveling, unfortunately) and a sweet perfumey scent - I believe all of Bourjois bases are rather heavily fragranced. Thanks to the thin, slightly siliconey texture, it spreads out and blends into the skin very easily, be it with fingers, brush or a sponge.

I'd say the coverage is a perfect medium: it can be both sheered out, especially with a damp Beautyblender, or built up in layers to be more opaque. The finish is very skin like, a luminous matte/ satin that so many brands are favoring these days, which is my preference as well. It's not as lightweight and undiscernible as my favorite Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation, but doesn't sit on top of the skin either. It doesn't pool in pores or settle into fine lines, and it's quite forgiving on dry flakes too; however, if you have a dry skin type, I think it may have a tendency to look a bit flat.

On my combination skin, it lasts reasonably well; I still get shiny on my forehead and nose after about 4 hours, but the foundation doesn't completely break down and melt off the face, even in extreme weather conditions (I've tested it while skiing and snowboarding). My dry areas also don't look dehydrated or cakey by the end of the day, a big plus.

L-R: Bourjois CC Cream in 31 Ivory, Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in Intensity 1, Revlon Colorstay in Ivory, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly

My biggest issue with this CC Cream, which I kinda expected from my previous experiences with Bourjois bases, is the color match. At the moment, it's at least a shade too dark for my fair skin, and it does have a bit of an orange undertone (is that the apricot pigment at work?), unlike the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 for example, which pulled very yellow. Once I sheer the CC Cream out and blend onto my neck carefully, I can just about get away with it, but 31 Ivory will be much better suited to summer months for me.

Bourjois CC Cream in Ivory applied to a freshly moisturized bare face, no concealer, no powder. It looks quite glowy but not greasy, cancels out redness well, but some of my freckles, marks and blemishes are still showing through.

Overall, I think that Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream is a solid foundation for everyday wear, especially if you can find a good shade match in the very limited shade range. However, it's not absolutely miraculous or anything, so if you can't get hold of Bourjois products easily (like us here in the US), I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it. I've been enjoying it, but once my tube runs out, I most likely won't repurchase. Have you tried this? Or are you completely over the BB, CC and DD marketing trend?

My Skin But Better: Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation Review

The Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation SPF 15 PA++ ($62 for 30 ml/ 1.01 fl oz) is a prime example of my 'save it for later' attitude towards products I'm especially excited about; I've explained it in more detail in my last post here, in case you've missed it. After swatching it in Sephora and promptly falling in love, I was ecstatic to have scored it on Hautelook... back in late 2013. I then tucked it away in a drawer, promising myself to crack the bottle open once I used up 'some' of my older foundations.

I know, pretty bad. I'm looking for a delayed gratification support group as we speak. Anyway, as part of my resolution to enjoy my favoritest things, I finally started playing with the Aqua Foundation this month. Good news: I still love it! Bad news: I hear it's been reformulated - but I haven't tried the new version, so I'm hoping it's still just as good as this old one.

The Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation is packaged in a pretty frosted glass bottle with a controllable pump. I find the design pretty and functional, which is my favorite combo, although I'd be a touch apprehensive to travel with anything glass. I purchased the shade PK-0, which is the lightest pink/ cool-toned shade in the Aqua range (I believe the lightest cool shade for the Aqua Foundation is now called 012. The Moisture Foundation comes in an even lighter 001 shade).

'Created to mimic the optical reflectance of a post facial treatment, the new technically advanced Aqua Foundation series finishes the skin to look brighter and healthier for an ideal natural finish. With radiance in mind, the Aqua Foundation is infused with a RGB powder that enhances the natural tone of the complexion for a brighter and poreless skin texture (from Koh Gen Do's website)'. While normally the cosmetic marketing spiel drives me bonkers, this time the brand hasn't strayed too far from the truth. Brighter (less dull), more radiant and healthier looking skin? Check. Natural, lightweight, skin-like finish? Check. Poreless texture? Check - well, to an extent.

The Aqua Foundation has a thin, liquidy consistency, which makes it very easy to blend into the skin, be it by using fingers, a brush or a sponge. I find that one pump is enough to give my skin light coverage (I have a small face), but you could layer it on for medium coverage as well (two pumps + a buffing brush gives me medium coverage, but I prefer to really push it into the skin with fingers or a beautyblender). The foundation quickly melds into one with my skin, smoothing over enlarged pores, and setting to what I would call a comfortable luminous demi-matte finish. It virtually looks and feels like there's nothing on your face, while brightening, evening out the tone and perfecting the texture of your skin at the same time. Looks like my skin, but (much) better.

In the photo above, I smoothed on one pump with a sponge on top of a small amount of Lancome La Base Pro primer applied just to my T-zone. I did some light concealing on larger marks and blemishes but otherwise left my skin be, no powder, no highlighter. If you look close (you can enlarge the photo by clicking directly on it), you'll see that the appearance of the pores on my forehead, nose and the sides of my nose is definitely diminished, although it doesn't quite disguise the larger ones in the nasolabial fold area - but doesn't pool into them either. The one downside to this foundation is that it does catch on dry flakes slightly; you can see those on my nose and a bit on the forehead. Otherwise though, I'd say my skin looks pretty darn good with this stuff on. Like, better than any other foundation I've tried thus far.

I know I have a fair (har har) number of porcelain complected readers, so I thought a shade comparison with my other pale foundations may be helpful if you're contemplating an online order. I was quite shocked to see how dark PK-0 swatched on my wrist compared to how fair it looks on my face (maybe because my face isn't the same color as my wrist, duh). I will tell you this: it applies a lot lighter on the face, and because it's sheer coverage, you can expect some shade tolerance. In MAC terms, I'd gauge it at about NW10-15. If you're a lot lighter than that, it may be too dark for you - I'm sorry! If you're darker, I'd go a shade (or couple) up; I probably won't be able to wear this shade alone in the late summer/ early fall. For all my fair yellow toned ladies, there are pale warm/ ochre shades in the range as well (113, 123, 143, 213).

L-R: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly, Revlon Colorstay in Ivory, Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation in PK-0, Face Atelier Ultra Foundation in Porcelain 1, and bonus Tarte Full Coverage Amazonian Clay in Fair Beige

As for longevity, it's currently one of the most long-wearing bases I own. It somehow manages to control the shine on my nose and forehead for about 9 hours; I'd say that some of the oil breaks through towards the end, but looks dewy rather than greasy (mind you, I have very oily skin in these two areas). It doesn't look dry, cakey, uneven or patchy on normal/dry areas of my face. Before removing it for the day, I noticed that the foundation gathered a bit more around the flaky bits, but not enough to be spotted by anyone other than myself, peering closely in the mirror. All in all, I'd say it should suit normal, combination and oily skin the most.

But regardless, do you know the best thing about it? Husband (unprompted!) said I looked well rested while I was wearing the Koh Gen Do Aqua. That seals the deal, folks - the man has spoken. Have you tried the Aqua Foundation? What is your current 'my skin but better' base?

My Summer-Proof Make-up Routine

You know how everyone bitches about their make-up melting, smudging and smearing all over in the summer heat and humidity? I never used to get that; sure, I'd slightly adjust my products for summer, opting for easier, more lightweight formulas and brighter shades, but I wasn't terribly bothered. Yeah... and then I moved to New York - and now I really get it. So here's a quick rundown of make-up bits I've been using recently, with a very simple look at the end, in case you're looking for some everyday summer face inspiration.

First off, base products. I don't think I've ever reviewed Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Make-up ($37 for 1 oz) on the blog (the shade I have is Intensity 1; I would have preferred to have 0.5, but 1 works in the summer), and I had actually neglected it for a long time - which is a shame, because it's a beautiful base for summer. The coverage is definitely on the light side, but can be built up to medium - though I prefer to do a thin layer all over the face and then spot conceal my scars/blemishes. When used over a more emollient moisturizer, it blends out seamlessly with a buffing brush, and retains quite a dewy finish, without pooling in the pores or fine lines. And you guys, this thing lasts - I sure do get a little shiny/sweaty in my T-zone as the day goes on, but Double Wear Light never goes patchy or slides off the face, which I consider a big accomplishment.

Also previously not mentioned on the blog, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly ($29 for 0.22 oz) is my weapon of choice for masking any imperfections. It's seriously pigmented, and long-lasting; it blends out very easily when applied on the skin, but after a moment, sets and doesn't move around, which is especially important for concealing blemishes. My preferred application method is to apply a bit on the back of my hand, and then use a separate brush to pick up product and dot it around the face, which I then blend out with my fingers for a thin, invisible layer - a bit labor-intense process, but I find that applying it on the face straight from the wand globs on way too much product. To be perfectly honest, for my under eye area I still prefer to use the Bobbi Brown Corrector - but the NARS will do in a pinch. In terms of shade selection, Chantilly, the lightest shade in the range, looks very, very fair in the tube - though it does oxidize a bit darker on the skin and matches my skintone quite well in the end.

As you can see, no primers included in the line-up, however I do experiment with face primers here and there, and sometimes even spritz my face with Skindinavia No More Shine Make-up Finish (reviewed here) - but I don't find those added products do anything in making my base last any longer. The only primer I reach for every time I do my make-up is NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base - my eyeshadows never crease when I use it, and my eye make-up stays intact for an entire day.

Speaking of eyes, I have less patience for elaborate eyeshadow looks in the summer - and I also like a bit of color. Enter some waterproof eyeliner pencils; my long-standing favorites are NYX  Slide-ons (reviewed and swatched here) as well as Sephora Contour Eye Pencils 12HR Wear (reviewed and swatched here). Most often, I use them to line my upper lashline for a subtle cat eye, but I also enjoy using the darker shades to tightline, or wearing the lighter shades in the bottom waterline. In the face shots below, I attempted a gradient flick with NYX Esmeralda on the inner half and Sephora Surfer Babe on the outer part, with some matte shadows on the lid for more definition - but overall, I keep things very quick and easy.

Now, I've been experiencing more mascara fails recently than I care to admit - one big drawback of having long lashes (and not a lot of lid space) is that my mascara-ed lashes now touch my brow bone, and most mascaras transfer within the first 15 minutes of doing my make-up. Which is why I busted out a deluxe sample tube of Anastasia Lash Genius Clear Waterproof Topcoat ($21 for 0.19 oz)- I didn't really have high hopes for this, but you guys, it's pretty brilliant. The brush on the Lash Genius is a standard wiry type with lots of bristles, which makes distributing the product on top of mascara a breeze, and there's no weird residue or globs visible on the lashes - it looks like it's not even there. Oh, but it works - no browbone transfer, no smudging, no flaking, and at the end of the day, it comes off easily with a cleansing oil. Big thumbs up!

For lips and cheeks, I honestly switch things up a lot, but I thought I'd show you some products I haven't featured in a while. Inglot AMC Cream Blush no. 88 ($12 for 5.5g/ 0.19 oz) is always my go-to in the summer: the neutral rosey brown hue goes well with both warm and cool-toned looks, and the satin/matte finish stays put thoughout the day. And you guys know I love bright shades on the lips: the Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon in Red Sunrise (reviewed here) claims to be waterproof, and I have to admit that it does wear quite well throughout the day, but not as long as Beaute's Liqui-Gel Stain in Flouron (VERY recently reviewed here, lol), or other lip stains in my collection. But in the end, I don't really mind reapplying lip products, so I rotate my choices daily.

Here's what these products look like on the face: I also used the pencil end of Revlon Brow Fantasy through my brows (rant here), and set my T-zone with Make Up For Ever HD Powder. Very simple, but with some fun, brighter colors. If you're interested to see which staple products I was using in my last everyday summer make-up routine, click here.

How do you switch up your make-up routine for the summer? Do you reach for more waterproof and long-lasting formulas, or use different shades?

In My Toolkit: New Brushes, Sponges, Puffs...

... Oh my! I happen to be a bit monothematic this month, so here's some more beauty tools I've recently added into the mix (thanks, IMATS!). It's a bit of a weird mix of brush hits & misses, foundation sponges, powder puffs, a hair brush and even some cotton squares; but I'm pretty excited about some of these discoveries and I'm hoping you'll find something interesting here to try out.

First of all, since I'd never tried the original pink beautyblender, Kar Yi agreed to split a discounted pack of two that we got at IMATS with me, which worked out at $11 each - I could never quite stomach the original price tag of $19.95. I mostly wanted to compare the beautyblender to the Real Techniques Miracle Foundation Sponge I reviewed here - and you know what? My gut feeling was pretty spot on, both of these sponges work exactly the same, except the Real Techniques retails for $5.99. The Beauty Blender is slightly smaller and obviously the shape is different, but I actually find that the Real Techniques sits a bit more comfortable in my hand when applying foundation... and the beautyblender leaks some of that neon pink dye when washed.

While browsing at IMATS, I also picked up a new jar of powder from Kryolan, fearing my other powders wouldn't stand a chance against the hot and humid New York summer (more on the powder in a separate post). They had this cute Triangular Powder Puff laying around, and at $2.90 or something ridiculous like that, I really wanted to try it out - especially that pressing powder into the skin with a puff controls the oil a bit better than just dusting on with a brush. I find that getting the right amount of product onto the puff is a bit of a learning curve, but the triangle shape works really well for getting into the little nooks and cranies around my nose and eyes, and the finish is not any more cakey than when working with a brush.

Following on the face make-up theme, here are my two new blush brush loves. I hadn't been satisfied with my blush brushes for a while and silently promised myself not to settle on a mediocre one and actually shell out out the money for something outstanding. And this is it: the goat hair Hakuhodo J 4003 Highlighter Brush Angled, $40. You may notice that the brand calls it a highlighter brush, but on my small face, it works very well for precise blush placement - and it feels like my cheeks are being stroked by a soft, furry kitten paw. The knowledgeable staff member at the Hakuhodo booth explained to me that the brush is meant to be used in a sweeping motion at an angle, and not for vertical swirling and buffing motions, which is how I've been yielding it, and I'm very happy with the results; it works for both softer/ more pigmented as well as stiffer blushes.

At the bdellium booth, I decided to spring for a stippling cream blush brush: the Studio 953 Duet Fiber Foundation, $14. I'd never had a smaller stippling brush for cream products and previously always used my fingers for blending, but this brush makes it so much easier to get an even layer of product - and I love that I can seamlessly add more at the end of my make-up routine without disturbing the foundation and concealer underneath.

Speaking of bdellium tools, here are two brushes that did not work out for me: I picked up the Studio 945 Contour, $11 to use with contouring powders and bronzers for a more sculpted application, but I found the bristles to be a bit too stiff and scratchy - and it's also the first of my bdellium brushes that actually sheds quite a bit. The round Studio 949 Pointed Foundation, $14 was a bit of a let down as well: it leaves some brush marks on my face, but more importantly, soaks up a lot of the product and needs to be cleaned after every use. I can't fault the quality of this brush, it's just that perhaps, the bristles are bit too densely packed and too resistant to successfully blend my liquid foundations.

Now for the slightly more unusual tools that I now can't be without: my fine hair has always been extremely tangly, and as a little girl I would run and cry when my mum attempted to brush it. How I wish I had the Wet Brush Detangling Shower Brush, $14, back then! It looks just like any old plastic hair brush, but the longer, fine, soft bristles work amazingly well to detangle my longer locks, without pulling or breaking hundreds of strands in the process. It works well on wet and dry hair, and I in fact, I now enjoy brushing my hair and massaging my itchy scalp with this brush.

The other odd product to talk about are these Cotton Clouds cotton squares (I got a set of three packs, 200 cotton squares each, for $11.99 + $3.15 shipping on Amazon). I first heard about these from Kristen Gehm on YouTube; she said they were dupes of the more expensive Shiseido cottons I've always wanted to try. In the photo, you can see one square compared to my regular Studio 35 cheap cotton: the Cotton Clouds are much thicker and comprised of many layers - you can peel them apart how thick or thin you want. They're both softer and much more durable than the cotton squares I'd tried in the past, and most importantly, don't leave little infuriating cotton fibers all over my face. I'm really happy to have found those!

I think I'm now all set with my new tools for a while; it's always fun to upgrade the basics you're reaching for every day and thus enjoy the grooming process a bit more again. Life's little pleasures! Have you found any interesting new beauty tools recently?

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders: My Thoughts on Diffused & Luminous Light

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders ($45 for 0.35 oz) were undoubtedly one of the biggest make-up releases of 2013, and it seemed everyone was lemming, buying and loving at least one. I had been very much skeptical in the beginning (baked highlighters? what's so special about that?) but after reading so many reviews, I decided to jump on the bandwagon as well - pretty late at that, as the Ambient Lighting Blushes are just being released this month. But, are these Hourglass powders actually worth the hype?

I've snagged two shades: Diffused Light (left) and Luminous Light (right), and they're very different both color and texture-wise. Diffused is 'a soft, warm, pale yellow that reduces redness, eliminates shine, and gives skin clarity' while Luminous is 'a champagne pearl that creates a soft, incandescent candlelit glow—day or night'. 

As you can see, Diffused has a very smooth, uniform appearance in the pan with no veining and hardly any microshimmer particles visible. I've picked this one up to use as my setting/finishing powder - I definitely need something to counteract the redness in my cool-toned skin, and this satin, fine powder seems to create a blurring veil on the skin, diminishing some of the texture - lines, pores, scars, you name it. In terms of color-correcting and smoothing effect, I'm very happy with it, although I can't say that it has the best oil control: it tones down the shine from a freshly applied foundation and seems to prolong the matte/satin finish for a couple more hours, but it's not going to do well if you're very oily or looking for a blotting powder. The finish on the skin is a dimensional, skin-like satin, no cakiness in sight.

Luminous Light looks more like your typical baked powder - you can see the darker veins in the pan, as well as fine pearl/shimmer. I've heard it being touted as the most universal Ambient Lighting powder, as the shade is more skin-tone like for most folks, and many use it both as a finishing powder and highlighter. In the heavy arm swatches below, you can see that Luminous is actually darker than my skintone, but more importantly, it's definitely more on the shimmery side and thus tends to slightly accentuate skin texture. On my porous self, I can only use it as a highlighter, and sparingly at that. While the darker shade still works on my pale skin when used lightly, the amount of shimmer doesn't perfect my skin's textural flaws. Mind you, compared to a standard highlighter, Luminous Light is more refined and subtle, so I can see how some use it all over, especially if they favor a glowy skin finish.

In the swatches, you can clearly see the textural difference between Diffused (left) and Luminous (right). For a closer look at Luminous used as a cheek highlight, see this post; there wasn't much sense in showing you how Diffused looks on my face as the effect is very subtle and hard to capture in a photo, especially when used on top of foundation.

Overall, I do feel that Hourglass did a great job with these Ambient Lighting Powders, and I can see myself using Diffused in my regular rotation (it's probably the best finishing powder I've ever tried... but I haven't tried that many); less so for Luminous, as I tend to shy away from highlighters most of the time. However, I don't feel that these powders are particularly unique or innovative; Guerlain has had that fine perfecting powder thing down with their Meteorites for years, and many brands are now turning in this direction as well. Which is why I won't be rushing to buy the Ambient Lighting Blushes - it's not like we haven't seen soft-focus, radiant blush formulas from other brands, be it baked or undercooked.

What's your take on Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders? Are you planning to purchase anything from their newly released blush line?

Best Beauty Buys of 2013

The year 2013 is now drawing to a close; I hope you spent your Holidays well with your loved ones and now that you're slowly emerging from a food coma, it's time to think about the glamour of New Year's Eve! I might be able to help in your party preparations with my selection of best make-up products I've tried in 2013. These are not actually items that were newly released in 2013, just bits that I personally started using or rediscovered this year - basically, a yearly favorites of sorts. Majority of these products have been previously reviewed, so if you're interested in more details and swatches, please click on the provided links. Let's get cracking!

Starting with base make-up, this was actually the hardest part to include in my favorites. I suppose that throughout the year, I used my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation the most and now I've very nearly finished my bottle, but I came to the conclusion that it's a very difficult product to get right; if my skin is too much on the oily side, it slides right off, if it's a bit dehydrated, it clings to all the dry patches. So, contrarily, for its ease of use, the 2013 award goes to Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 (review and swatches of my shade, Tender Rose, here). This mineral foundation is quick and easy, gives good coverage and disguises both enlarged pores as well as dry flakes. I only wish they made a travel jar as well!

Onto the eyes (I know, no blush in my round-up; quelle horreur! I just wasn't very loyal to any particular formula or brand although I've tried some lovely ones this year... Maybe a blush favorites post in the future?): I actually have two eyeshadow formula favorites. First up, and it's no surprise, bareMinerals READY Eyeshadows. My favorite all-round color combo is this palette in The Finer Things (LE, sorry! But... click here anyway?), although you can also find great neutral choices in The Power Neutrals palette or Truth quad.

Secondly, nothing can beat the price point and unique shade selection of Fyrinnae loose eyeshadows (swatches here and here, eye looks here and here, notes on pressing samples here). Admittedly, they require a bit more effort if you wish to save space and application time by pressing them, but for me the payoff is absolutely worth it. I can also credit Fyrinnae shadows for more colorful eye make-up experiments this year. I undoubtedly see myself expanding my collection of their shades in the future. As a side note, I love using my Z Palettes for all the loose eyeshadow and blush pans and much prefer them to any other free form palette I've tried thus far.

Eyeshadow sticks and eyeliners: Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colors (especially the shade Grey Pearl, swatched and reviewed here) and Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12HR Wear respectively (shades Flirting Game and Surfer Babe here). 2013 was a grand year of cream eyeshadows for me, which I'm sure some of you noticed from the abundance of posts on the subject. Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks still stand out as overall winners, and the Sephora Contour pencils are the best pencil eyeliners I've tried in a long time; the available shades of both products are beautiful too. You just can't go wrong with either formula.

This past year was a jolly good time for my lashes, mostly due to the amazing thickening and lenghtening powers of LiLash Eyelash Serum (full review here). I'm still clinging to my first tube and scraping up the bottom for the very last bits; as you can see in the photo, I do have a back-up, but I want to get the most mileage partly because of the price, but mostly because it's sadly no longer in production. I might cry when it runs out. As for mascara formulas that worked the best on my full fringe, Laura Mercier's Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara ($24 for 0.4 oz) was a very pleasant surprise (I have another deluxe sample here in the photo), but honorable mentions should also go to Bobbi Brown's Everything Mascara ($25 for 0.2 oz) and Buxom's Buxom Lash ($19 for 0.37 oz).

 Aaaah, lip products. I have to say this year I turned to more high-end formulas and generally, as my lips got a lot drier, became significantly more picky about the formulas. Three that emerged as comfortable, line-filling, hydrating winners: Guerlain Rouge Automatique (the only shade I own, Shalimar, photographed and swatched here - but I'm already scheming to purchase more shades) for a proper, pigmented lipstick, Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments (older review here; my favorite shade was Rose but I also really like Passion) for a sheer, juicy formula, and lastly Buxom Lip Cream in Cherry Flip (clickety click!) for a gloss.

For nail polish favorites, my regular rotation of OPI and Essie polishes was joined by Zoya Professional Nail Lacquer (no links, but you can look up swatches in my 'Month in Nail Polish' posts). I came to really enjoy their solid 5-free formula and I can't blame the shade range either. I especially like Zoya's more adventurous approach to finish; you can find creams, duochromes, subtle pearls, holos, sand texture and even bar glitter in their line-up. I like!

Wow, congratulations if you got this far! That was quite a bit of overly enthusiastic make-up musings, wasn't it? You might notice that I featured a lot of these favorites in my recent 'What's In My Make-up Bag?' post; what can I say, I really do like have my favoritest and trustiest products with me when I travel. I also decided to exclude any skincare or haircare products from this list for a variety of reasons, most of them having to do with the fact that it's a more difficult subject matter to evaluate objectively and thus, probably less helpful to you. Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed reading about my best beauty buys of 2013 and stay tuned for 2013 in review post!

Current Everyday Make-up Staples

When it comes to make-up with a lot of color variation like eyeshadows, liners, blushes and lip products, I do own a significant collection and I'm always looking for new interesting shades to add on to my stash. But when it comes to real basics, I have only a few and use even fewer; in the morning hustle and bustle I prefer to take the guesswork out of my make-up routine and go with a selection of tried and true products. I thought it'd be fun to show you what is on my face 90% of the time when I'm wearing make-up so we can compare our notes!

First off, prep and prime: I'm sure you're tired of me talking about this Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+, but I do wear it under make-up (or alone!) every single day. I tend to skip make-up primers as I haven't found one I really liked yet, although I nearly always prime my oily eyelids with NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, my absolute favorite and Holy Grail eyeshadow primer. I also like to dab a bit of Jack Black lip balm SPF 25 on my lips and let it sink in before I apply any lipstick.

Now for the base: on a day-to-day basis, I prefer wearing mineral foundation over liquid and my favorite for the past couple of months has been Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15, reviewed in detail here. For a quick perfecting base, I first apply the Rimmel Match Perfection concealer under my eyes and blend with a finger, then buff on some Laura Mercier powder foundation with a kabuki brush, concentrating on the areas that need more coverage. In the summer, I enjoy using The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in Fair Matte (unfortunately, the lid of mine completely broke off!) on the high points of my face for a bit of a sculpting glow; this bronzer is my favorite for a quick, subtle and natural look on fair skin.

Lastly, I spot conceal with Becca Dual Coverage Compact Concealer in the shade Sherbet - I think I've never talked about this product before even though I use it every single day! It's a thicker cream with a medium coverage and opaque coverage concealers in the same split pan; honestly, I find that both sides work almost the same for me but possibly the left (medium coverage) is slightly easier to blend. It does a good job of covering unsightly blemishes and pigmentation although it can appear cakey on the skin; I think that all in all I prefer the performance to price ratio of MAC Studio Finish concealer.

For the eyes, I always have to have an eyebrow pencil on hand; I'm currently using the ybf Automatic Universal Eyebrow Pencil I received in a Birchbox a long time ago. I'm not sure how truly universal this shade is, but for my eyebrows it works like a charm and is nearly undetectable. I usually apply a little bit in short strokes mostly to my arches and then brush out with the included spoolie for a softer look. When in a time crush, I always reach for my favorite simple yet defining eye combo: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze all over the lid and blended into the crease with some smudged dark eyeliner at the lashline - either GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink or Annabelle Smudge Liner in Chocolate. I think both of them are slightly dried out now and not as creamy as they used to be, but I'm determined to use them all up.

Now for some swatches, left to right: Rimmel Match Perfection concealer in Ivory is slightly darker and more yellow than my skintone but still blends in nicely under the eyes. Becca Compact Concealer in Sherbet is a quite good match albeit a bit on the yellow side, and Laura Merciel Mineral Powder in Tender Rose blends right into my skin. The Body Shop Honey Bronze powder in Fair Matte is great for a sunkissed look on fair cool-toned skin although it does have a tinge of orange to it.

 Eye products, left to right: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze (again!), Annabelle Smudge liner in Chocolate, GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink (umm... maybe more of a dark charcoal) and ybf Universal Eyebrow Pencil. Below, this is how it all works together on my face, obviously with the addition of mascara (Bobbi Brown Everything Mascara in Black), blush (NYX Mauve) and lipstick (Revlon Superlustrous Shine in Kissable Pink).

I hope you enjoyed this quick look at my current make-up staples - I think it'd be fun to do another one in maybe a year to see which products will stay and which will change. Do you tend to use the same basics for everyday looks or do you prefer to rotate them? What are your everyday staples?