Drugstore Liquid vs. Creme Foundation

Hey lovlies!

This week I'll be doing a side-by-side comparison of two drugstore foundations.

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1  vs.  Revlon 24 hours Colorstay Whipped

Claims:

Covergirl -- "All-in-one foundation with a long-lasting formula that fuses primer, concealer, and foundation in one easy step! The 3-in-1 formula provides a flawless look that lasts all day long."

Revlon --  "Finally, truly decadent makeup offers ultimate performance. The mousse-like texture feels like silk on your skin. And, the time release formula balances skin for a flawless look. All day flexible wear without flaking, caking or feeling heavy."






Shade:

Covergirl -- 14 available shades. In 825 Buff Beige (right)

Revlon -- 12 available shades. In 250 Medium Beige (left)

This would be the biggest downfall of drugstore makeup: you have to purchase the product to test the shades. As you can see, the Revlon is a bit too dark and grey against my skin. For me, the Covergirl is more suitable with its brightness and yellow undertones. I might've been happier with a shade lighter for the Revlon.

Size & Price (aka bang-for-your-buck):

Covergirl -- 1 fl oz for $9.49 (Target)

Revlon -- 0.8 fl oz for $11.99 (Target)

Texture, Scent, Application, and Finish:

Covergirl -- Liquid foundation with a loose, water-like texture. Scentless. Applies smoothly (like a primer would). One layer would provide medium coverage, but easily buildable to heavier coverage if desired. Pleasantly soft and dewy finish, not oily. Setting powder is optional.

Revlon -- "Whipped" creme foundation with an interesting bouncy feel. Strong chemical, vinyl scent. Airier than normal creme foundations, allowing for easier application. Single layer provides medium to heavy coverage, further buildable by layering. Finish is a bit sticky and requires a setting powder.

The Verdict

When comparing product availability, price-per-oz, shade, and overall quality, I would have to say the Covergirl 3-in-1 liquid foundation is the definite winner! Not only does it have a larger range of available shades, but the consistency and finish are a lot more pleasant than that of the Revlon Colorstay whipped creme foundation.

Now, don't get me wrong. These are wonderful drugstore foundations and I would highly recommend both! I just happen to prefer foundations that are more watery in texture as that seems to apply better on my skin. Also, the Revlon Colorstay foundation has this really unpleasant chemical scent which I can't stand (if you're sensitive to fragrance in makeup, this foundation is not for you).

Sometimes I like to mix the foundations, which I highly recommend as the liquid primer-like consistency of the Covergirl 3-in-1 loosens the Revlon Colorstay. The result is a thicker, but still easily applicable liquid foundation!

Stay beautiful,

xo Karries

March 2013 ipsy

Hello beautiful people!

My glam bag for the month of March came quite early (as it did last month) -- ipsy is sending out bags on a more timely manner now, and surely I'm impressed!

This month's theme is "The Great Escape" -- apropros this month's products are all travel-friendly. Both the product card and bag are super adorable nautical themed (the bag is designed with vertical white-and-blue stripes entangled with anchors and rope). HOW CUTE!

 March 2013 ipsy -- "The Great Escape"

 

The first product I pulled out from the bag was the Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist (deluxe sample/travel size). I've tried their CC cream from a previous birchbox and did not like it, largely due to the scent. Since Juice Beauty is certified organic and paraben-free, I was concerned the mist might have an off-putting scent as well. But lo and behold, it doesn't! Though it has a strong rose (floral, almost medicinal) scent, it dissipates quickly.

The next product is the Travel-Lite Makeup Remover Wipes packet from LA Fresh. I'm not entirely familiar with the brand, but I think I've seen it around in Target.. In any case, this packet includes a generous 8 wipes. Reminiscent of baby wipes, they have a mild but fresh scent.

I received two Yaby eyeshadows in the shade "So Vein" and "Sand Dune". I'm not quite bold enough to pull off such a powerful emerald green (it's the color of the year), but I'll most definitely use the dark tan shade as an everyday lid color!

The last item of the bag is the highly anticipated magnetic makeup pallet from GlamRX! I don't own anything of the like, but the basic idea is to store depotted eyeshadows, blushes, etc. and change them around according to your needs. The two Yaby shadows, for instance, can be placed in the pallet and magnetically held (as seen in the picture above, right).

I have a feeling the next few glam bags might include more "depotted" shadows that we could collect in the pallet... but who knows? :)


Technically, this month's bag includes 5 products. But.. it's debatable as I would consider the two eyeshadows as one sample (they were of the same brand). Certainly compared to glam bags of the previous months, this month's bag is less impressive considering both product quality and quantity. Nevertheless, I'm content with the originality of the products (believe it or not, beauty sample subscriptions can get very predictable and boring).

Without a doubt, I'll be using every single item in the bag so I think it's worth it!

What do you think about this month's glam bag? Are you also an ipsy subbie? If so, which color shadows did you get? Please share!


Hope you all have a blessed week!
xo Karries

Body Acne Remedy

Hey y'all!

Did everyone enjoy the mean green weekend (aka St. Patrick's Day)? If you're of age, hope you were having fun responsibly! haha :)

Goodness, it's already March! I tell you, soon enough we'll all be shedding our bleak winter layers to prance around in those colorful summer dresses and teeny tiny yellow polka dot bikinis! (Spring break, anyone?!)

So today, I'd very appropriately like to share how I deal with body acne, specifically those on the back and chest area. After all, you want to glow in beautiful smooth skin to lure those hunky men on hot Miami sand! ;)

For one, I'm thankful for the lack of facial acne (minus the occasional hormonal pimples). However in the recent months, I've been getting irritable body acne on my upper/mid back and chest areas. Not much has changed in my life, so I'd have to think the sudden outbreak of these annoying red pustules is due to the cold, dry winter here in NY. *sad face*

I did find some drugstore products that seem to assuage the problem areas. Here they are --

My remedy starts in the shower with Neutrogena's Body Clear Body Wash. This particular bottle is brand new -- the one I'm currently using is the Pink Grapefruit Wash and it smells absolutely divine! The original orange wash smells more medicinal, but I wanted to give both products a try :)

The wash didn't really work to lessen the body acne by itself, but used in conjunction with the Neutrogena's Body Clear Body Spray, it works wonderfully!

 

This spray is an absolute miracle worker as my back acne (or bacne) totally cleared with it! It has a 360 spraying range which is very convenient when spraying your own back. Now, take note that it takes a while for the spray to show its effects. Be patient and consistent with the spray, and I guarantee you'll see results within 2 weeks!

I'd say avoid spraying it on your face, though you may be tempted. It's only 0.5% salicylic acid, but it's a body spray after all..

I came to the unfortunate realization that my chest acne (which is more obvious than my back acne as I wear low cut tops time to time) is a lot more stubborn than my back acne. UGH! In search for a stronger dose of salicylic acid, I ended up finding this Spot Lotion from Clearasil.

A Word of Warning: The active ingredient is 2% salicylic acid, so it can be drying on the skin. During the first week of use, my skin was quite irritable and itchy due to the lotion. I soon realized, and started applying it less often (once every two days).

When used correctly (and in moderation), this lotion is great for those stubborn, raw cystic acne types!


Now, acne scarring is a whole other issue! I now realize cystic acne leaves behind stubborn hyper-pigmentation (more apparent on light skin-tones), and it's very annoying! :(
If you know a good way of getting rid of acne triggered hyper-pigmentation, please leave a comment and let us know!


Hope you found this information helpful!


Have a lovely, beautiful week :):):)
xo Karries

February 2013 birchbox

Hey guys :)

So like I've mentioned in my January 2013 birchbox post, this will be my last birchbox.

I personally didn't find most of the boxes to be worth $10 nor did I really enjoy the samples that I received. Another issue I have with birchbox is inequitable distribution of boxes -- some boxes of the month look AMAZING while others are lackluster. Of course, I never get my hands on one of the better boxes (except for maybe my first birchbox). It's silly to compare, but it does feel unfair when you see others receiving better products when we all pay the same price!

Anyways, here is what I got for this month --

Product list (from left-to-right):

1. Ojon - Volume Advance Thickening Spray
2. twistband - Thick Headband
3. Color Club - Nail Polish in Mamba
4. Juicy Couture - Couture La La
5. Ghirardelli Chocolate (this month's lifestyle extra, or as they say, "treat")

To be honest, this wasn't a bad box.. but again, does this look worth $10 to you?! The Ojon is a deluxe sample size, the twistband headband is from a six-pack, the Color Club polish is a mini, the perfume is absolutely free in stores like Sephora (oh, the shame!), and the Ghirardelli was one unimpressive square of chocolate (I hate caramel). Technically, I only got 4 items and NONE were full size!

Now if I were to calculate the retail price of my box, I don't think it would exceed $10. So if you're considering subscription or already are subscribe to birchbox, I'd say be wary of the price value of the boxes.


Here is the description card, in case you wanted to see product details --

And there you have it. This is my official goodbye to birchbox and BOY do I feel good! Matter of fact, it feels like I'm getting out of a toxic relationship -- if it don't work, drop it! BAM, life lesson.

Have a beautiful week :)
xo Karries

February 2013 ipsy

Hello hello!!

Wow, it's super windy and chilly here in the East Coast.. I hope everyone bundles up and keeps warm! Also, a word of warning: watch out for flying trash (I got hit by an empty Starbucks cup lol)!

My ipsy/my glam bag arrived quite early this month, specifically on the 12th. Let's see what goodies were included in this month's bag :)

 This month's theme is "Red Carpet Ready"

Channel your inner celebrity!

The products list (from left-to-right order):

1. Pixi -- Flawless & Poreless Primer
2. Coastal Scents -- Shadow Palette Sample ("In the Spotlight")
3. Micabeauty -- Gel eyeliner in Black
4. Lash Card -- The Lash Card x4
5. Pop Beauty -- Smokey Lash Kapow Mascara

Though I don't know much about this brand, face primers are always a welcome addition to my makeup collection! The "pore minimizing" promise leaves much to be desired, but the primer does a good job overall preparing the face for foundation. The off putting plastic scent quickly dissipates after application. A great formula without parabens or sulfates, this primer deserves a 4/5.

 

I'm not a big eye shadow wearer, but I love testing colors and this Coastal Scents quad is too cute to resist! I received the quad "In the Spotlight" which includes very neutral, wearable colors. Three shadows are glittery and one (Sunbeam) is matte. Dark Goldenrod and Golden Globe had the best color pay offs, while Dark Golden Olive and Sunbeam took quite some rubbin'.. therefore I give this product a 3.5/5.

Now I'm not totally disappointed that I got a eyeliner brush in my last glam bag! I had much anticipation about this product as I always wanted to try the Mac gel eyeliner but never got around purchasing. If this eyeliner is full-size, it alone pays for this month's glam bag as it retails for $30! The consistency is very smooth and non-clumping and the shade is a true black. I'm just crossing my fingers that these won't dry out quickly like my Wet 'n Wild ones did! I give this a 5/5 :)

Am I the only one who finds this product wasteful? Don't get me wrong, I think it's brilliant and innovative.. but equally wasteful! I already use the namecard trick to avoid mascara smudging, which is all the Lash Card really is (but patented and officially "named"). But behold, there gleams a ray of hope! :) I happened to watch a YouTube review from a fellow glammie, and she recommended using these cards to hold down drying false lashes. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! For that, I give the Lash Card a 3/5 (I would've given it a 1/5 without the false lash compressor idea!).

Oh Lord, another mascara sample? While I love sampling new mascaras, I'm often afraid the ones I already have may dry up since I have so many! This particular mascara wasn't anything special -- a typical brush head with a thin formula (giving a great natural finish, but lacks its namesake "kapow"). I might get some use of it during lazy stay-at-home days, as I'd still want to pretty up a bit in case a friend or the bf shows up :) I give this mascara a 3/5.


I'm yet to be disappointed by ipsy. Though I don't need anymore makeup, I'd love to stay a subscriber as long as ipsy distributes great for-the-value bags like this!

I sincerely hope you found this post helpful :)

Have a safe, warm, and beautiful week!
xo Karries

First ever e.l.f haul!

Hello my beautiful people!

How exciting! I'll be sharing and reviewing my first ever e.l.f (eyes lips face) haul today! :)

 My first e.l.f haul!

 St. Lucia Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder -- $3.00 $1.50

Everything from the Studio line was half off, so I had to pick up one of these e.l.f's so-called "Nars Orgasm and Laguna Duo" dupes. Now, I don't actually have the Nars duo for comparison. But for the price, I honestly don't care how accurate of a dupe this is -- it's wonderful in its own right!

 Daily Brush Cleaner & Makeup Mist -- both $3.00 $1.50

I get lazy with my brushes and tend to wash them only once or twice a week (I know, it's a habit hard to break!), so the daily brush cleaner comes in handy. The makeup mist works beautifully in setting my foundation for a long day ahead!

 Corrective Yellow Mineral Booster -- $5.00

This was my one "splurge" item as the discount didn't account for mineral line products. Even with foundation, the redness of my cheeks are hard to kill thanks to a skin condition I have called rosacea (if you'd like to know how I take care of my sensitive rosacea-prone skin, read this post)! Though this powder may look intimidatingly yellow as is, it's not at all obvious after blended into the skin -- plus, it does a great job toning down any redness on the face!

Makeup Remover Pen -- $3.00 $1.50

Eyebrow Treat & Tame -- $3.00 $1.50

Mascara Primer -- $3.00 $1.50

Lash & Brow Gel -- $1.00

The makeup remover pen is a must have for fixing late-night raccoon eyes and streaky foundation.

The eyebrow treat & tame is in the shade "dark". So far, it's proven to be a great tool for 'taming' the occasionally stray strands of brow hair!

The mascara primer is so-so. Too much and it'll make your mascara clump, so be careful!

The lash & brow gel wasn't exactly a necessity, but for a $1.00 why not? :)

 Studio Stipple Brush -- $3.00 $1.50

I use this stipple brush with my Covergirl Aquasmooth foundation (to see my concealer and foundation post, click here). The bristles aren't as tightly packed as I would like them to be, but then again can't really be beat for only $1.50!

 

 Studio 11 Piece Brush Collection -- $30.00 $15.00

Thought not of the best quality, e.l.f's studio brush collection is great for makeup beginners (like myself)! 11 brushes + a brush pouch for $15 is a real steal -- plus, I could test out the brushes and upgrade to Sigma or MAC if felt necessary.

TOTAL: $57.00 $31.50 + S&H

FYI, I used the coupon code "ECD2" for 50% off all studio line products. This code should still be valid (I'm not sure till when). If you search the web, they have other great deals/coupons, but if you're purchasing mostly studio products like I have, this code will be your best bet :)

What you do think about my e.l.f haul? Are there any e.l.f cosmetics that you think are must-haves? I haven't purchased any lip or eye shadow colors and would love to get some recommendations!

Stay warm and safe (HELLO NEMO!),
xo Karries

Zoya Polishes Review

Hello my lovelies!

Wow, it's already February. Happy Super Bowl Sunday! Who are you rooting for tonight? As always, I'm rooting for none other than the commercials haha :)

Anyways, my Zoya order just came in so I'll be doing a non-makeup non-skincare related post today. Nailcare is still considered beauty after all, right?

Being the shop savvy (more like poor premed) gal that I am, I took full advantage of Zoya's 3 free polish + $10 shipping and handling offer that was happening throughout December 2012. I personally think this was a great deal, considering how pricey their polishes retail for.

The shipping took quite a while (that's an understatement -- it took 5 weeks), but Zoya did give a fair warning to their customers about a 4 week projected delivery date. I guess this is the one downfall of getting "free" stuff!


Here are the 3 polishes I picked:

 Shelby, Yummy, and Wednesday

Zoya polishes are non-toxic and free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates) and camphor (for those of you environment friendly ladies).

Unfortunately, the new Spring 2013 collection was not a part of the deal. Without the restrictions, I would've chosen all 3 polishes from the new collection as all the colors are absolutely stunning!

I chose what I thought were good spring/summer colors from past collections, though it's still full-blown wintertime here in the East Coast. Seeing these bring poppy colors just make me feel so warm and bubbly inside! :)

Shelby -- bubble gum pink that I'd imagine my Barbie doll from the yesteryears would wear. Very cute and none like what I have, so I just had to get it!

Yummy -- robin egg blue that screams beaches and picnics. I fell in love with this color at first sight and had to put it on immediately. The color pay off is true-to-bottle, if anything a slight darker on the nails. Here is a photo:

Wednesday -- reminiscent of OPI's Thanks A Windmillion, but brighter and cuter. Nuff said.

What do you think about the colors I got? And if you got the Zoya deal like I have, which colors have you gotten? I would love to know!

Stay warm & beautiful,

xo Karries

January 2013 ipsy

Hey party people!

Today I'll be sharing and reviewing the January 2013 ipsy/my glam bag! This month's theme is "Super Stars".

The official January my glam bag photo courtesy of ipsy.com

I received my glam bag mid-month, as I always do. I saw the sneak previews and was super excited about all of the products (minus the nailtini polish), and was absolutely thrilled to see there wasn't another eyeliner or lipgloss thrown in. Don't get me wrong, a girl loves her liners and glosses, but one too many and it just seems plain wasteful!

 The goodies from January's my glam bag, still in package

Out of package

The product list (from left-to-right):

1. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
2. Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in Frappe
3. Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Mini Body Butter
4. Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray
5. SOHO London Eyeliner Brush

This month's bag was a navy blue nylon bag, reminiscent of Longchamp le pliage bags but thinner and more lightweight. Though it feels and looks a bit cheap, the bag will hold loads of makeup and product without adding bulk. It's a great makeup bag for ladies who lug their whole vanity around (don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with that!).

Now what do I think about the products?

The Josie Maran Argan oil is very well known skincare essential that I've always wanted to try, but just couldn't shell out the money for. The sample is pretty tiny -- a little over a week and I'm already halfway through the bottle. The oil itself is pretty much fragrance free and feels like.. well, an oil. I diligently used it on my cuticles and face, and though it works wonders on my cuticles, it make me break out on my face (T-zone area, specifically). This is really unfortunate as I have combination skin with severe dry spots that thirst for this stuff. As a result, I give the oil a fair 4/5.

The Nailtini polish is the one product I wasn't too hyped about, as a previous bag had one and I found the scent way too toxic and unpleasant. The color I received was "Frappe", a neutral sheer pink with creme finish. I love neutrals and cremes, but I DO NOT LOVE NAILTINI. My last sliver of hope was shattered once I opened the polish and the chemical toxicity creeped out of the bottle and stabbed at my olfactory receptors. I just.. can't. Sorry Nailtini, all your polishes get a 1/5 in my books, no matter how stunning the color.

The Pacifica body butter was as great smelling as some fellow glammies said -- citrusy, bitter-sour (like grapefruit), and fantabulously fresh! I used it in place of my regular hand cream throughout the past week, and I must say I simply don't get along with body butters. I've had a similar experience with The Body Shop's body butters, in that this stuff dries me out like crazy! Aren't butters supposed to be hydrating instead? Well my theory is that since butters don't absorb into skin but sit on top as a layer of protection, once it washes off, it rips you of your natural oils too. Unfortunately, I'm going back to my regular Johnson&Johnson hand lotion. This body butter gets a 3/5 (high points for smelling great!).

The Big Sexy Hair spray sounds like a great product (my thin, limp hair craves volume), but I haven't used it yet out of fear that it might stiffen my hair. I'll let you know how it is once I actually use it.

Last but not least, the SOHO eyeliner brush. First of all, I've seen this brand around in drugstores so it has a degree of familiarity. Though not high end, it seemed promising with its "ergonomic" grip handle and synthetic brush fibers. The eyeliner brush is full and semi-soft. One downfall is that it's not as thin as I'd like my eyeliner brushes to be. I think I would've been happier with the concealer brush.. oh well. This brush gets a 4/5.


Would I repurchase any of these? Yes, possibly the Argan oil as it works wonders for my cuticles!

I hope this review helped, whether you're contemplating about opening a glam bag or purchasing individual pieces!

Stay warm & beautiful (especially my East Coast sisters!),
xo Karries

January 2013 birchbox

Hey guys and gals!

So I figured I'd post every Sunday in the year 2013, though it wasn't a part of my initial list of resolutions. On a whim, I decided to make weekly posts for two reasons: (1) as a discipline to myself, being that I'm still fairly new to the blogging scene and (2) as a commitment to my lovely readers!

Today I wanted to share my January birchbox. Unfortunately, my excitement for birchbox ceases more and more as the months pass by.

As you can see, they're back to the regular good ol' cardboard boxes (though I never received their special December one...*sad face*).

The box had quite some weight to it and looked pretty full at first sight.

Here are the products unpacked. For reference, I received box #2 this month (from left-to-right):

1. Harvey Prince Skinny Chic
2. theBalm® cosmetics Hot Mama Shadow & Blush All-in-One
3. Fresh Lotus Moisturizer
4. Lashem Measurable Difference Lash Gel Serum
5. Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo

Now, I'm ambivalent about this box... I'm not entirely happy with the samples, but at the same time I do feel I received one of the better boxes of this month.

I must admit, this month's box was the last straw for me. Unfortunately, birchbox has deeply disappointed the past two months with tiny sample sizes and inequitable product distribution. I'll be unsubscribing after next month's box (I'm trying to collect and redeem 200 points -- I'd have to get my money back some how!).

The clarifying shampoo and lash gel serum are the first two products I tried.

The shampoo didn't smell great (almost reminded me of tawdry men's cologne), but did it's job in clarifying my scalp and softening my hair. I won't be repurchasing, however, as I already have a favorite clarifying shampoo (which I will share in a future post, hopefully).

I was actually excited for the lash gel serum, until I saw how utterly TINY the sample was. I used it 3 nights in a row, but didn't see any particular changes in my lash length/fullness. Now, I know these products don't work overnight and that's where my complaint comes in: how do they figure I use this serum for maximum x10 and decide whether or not I like it or not?! Smart move, birchbox and Lashem, real smart. You just lost a potential customer due to your stingy sampling ways.

The Harvey Prince fragrance was light, floral with high sour notes. Not my cup of tea, as I enjoy richer, sweeter floral scents. In all honesty, it smelled a bit cheap to me (sorry, Harvey Prince!).

The theBalm's Hot Mama shadow and blush came in an extremely cute magnetic package. I'd say the salmon-peach shade with gold shimmer flatters a large range of skintones. Can't really complain with this one.

The Fresh Lotus face cream smells.. well, fresh. It smells mildly of cucumbers at first, but smells like rubber after it's patted and absorbed into the skin. How odd is that? Perhaps the product and my body's chemical makeup don't complement each other.

Again, I have no particular feelings toward this box. I will be cancelling after February's bb.

Stay beautiful,

xo Karries

Drugstore Concealer & Foundation Review

Hey ladies!

Though quite (no, very) late.. I'm saying it anyways: Happy New Year!!! It's already been 13 days into the new year.. did anyone break their New Years resolutions yet?! Haha -- if you did, don't be too disheartened. Keep in mind that when we set resolutions, we strive for perfection.. which is humanly impossible! Just don't totally fall off the wagon, if you know what I mean ;)

In any case.. I just wanted to quickly share my daily concealer/foundation routine.

FYI, I'm very low maintenance when it comes to makeup.. especially because I don't have much time to spare in the mornings.

I only wear minimal concealer/powder/foundation, eyeliner, and mascara.. but in no way does this imply that I don't need full makeup! I would love to do a more completed look, but I just don't have time, you know? (I lie.. I do have time, but I'd rather spend it sleeping in a bit more haha!)

But for now, I'm content with my current concealer/foundation routine. It's enough to conceal my stubborn dark circles (thanks, mom!) and mute the shine on my oily skin.

Oh, by the way, these are all drugstore products. WOOT WOOT for affordable makeup!

 Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Treatment Concealer in Brightener (60) and Neutralizer (50)

It's really quite simple. I use these two shades to effectively conceal my dark purple under eye circles (thanks to 8 am calculus class and, of course, genetics). I begin with a light-handed dab of the brightener, which I blend with either my ring finger or a concealer brush. This is followed by the neutralizer, which blends into my light/medium yellow-toned skin quite well. If I put an excess of the neutralizer I'd just pull it down my cheeks, which is fine when blended out evenly. In fact, I'd recommend you do this as it is quite effective in covering enlarged pores!

 

Here, I'm showing you the relative size of the concealer bottle. It contains 6.0 mL of product, which is quite typical for drugstore concealers. I paid $6.00+ for each on Amazon Prime (while it's close to $10.00 in my local drugstore). Online shopping RULES!

The Age Rewind concealers are great as they don't settle into fine lines! This is very important for the under eye area. There have been complaints about the "non-sanitary" sponge-tip applicator, but in all honesty I don't have a problem with it since I know I'm using the product only with clean hands and/or face.

 CoverGirl Clean Pressed Powder Compact in Buff Beige (525) and Aquasmooth in Buff Beige (725)

I don't know what's up with the numbering.. but either way I'm in the shade Buff Beige for both products during the winter, while I'm a shade or two darker during the summer. Unlike the concealers, I had to purchase the powder/foundations in store just in case I bought them in the wrong shade (most drugstores have wonderfully lenient policies for cosmetic returns, but I found RiteAid to be the easiest to return to and/or exchange).

When open, the shade of the pressed powder vs. the aquasmooth is ALARMINGLY different. As is, the pressed powder looks a little too light for my skin while the aquasmooth looks way way wayyy too dark! But don't be fooled as the powder does oxidize to a certain extent.. and the aquasmooth is just deceivingly dark in the pan. When applied, they indeed are the same shade (the aquasmooth Buff Beige does have a slight gray overcast.. but I don't mind it too much since I set it with the powder).

I do have sensitive, oily skin and both products work beautifully on me! There's not much to say about the aquasmooth foundation as many beauty gurus and amateurs alike have already raved about the product! The pressed powder works great in the oil-control department.

Like I said, I'm very low maintenance.. so I don't like doing touch ups.

I wear a primer underneath it all (refer back to my skincare routine post to see which primer I use!) so I don't really need to do touch ups. When my t-zone gets a bit oily throughout the day, I just blot with oil sheets.


And there you have it -- my easy breezy concealer/foundation routine! Take note, I don't wear the aquasmooth everyday (and especially not for nights out since it contains titanium dioxide, which gives the white "moonface" cast for flash photography). All in all, this routine takes me 3 minutes TOPS. I use the next 2 minutes or less to sweep on eyeliner and mascara. How easy is that?!

Hope you enjoyed the post and found it informative. Good luck to you and all your beauty endeavors!

Stay warm and beautiful <3
xoxo Karries