About: TheBalm's "Luminizer" (aka Mary-Lou Manizer, or wateva...)

Unwieldy name aside, this is a lovely, LARGE compact of one of the most beautiful golden-ivory shades I've ever seen.
Reasons I love this:
1. It's the most gorgeous pale-champagne shade with smooth-as-butter texture which is not glittery or chalky. It is able to mimic that translucent dewy look liquid or cream highlighters give, but is so much more portable and easier to work with. The shade is also flattering for most skin tones.

2. This is a pretty good dupe for MAC's Retrospeck (which has slightly deeper base tones but identical highlights). As seen below, it is finer-grained and more opaque (Retrospeck is a Lustre) so while you won't be able to get that same flecks-of-champagne effect, it's easier to work with, more pigmented, and gives a very natural sheen when sheered out.

3. Look at the amount you get. Both products are marked up here in Asia, but you get 8.5g of product in The Luminizer (5 x MAC shadows at 1.5g), and an ever-so-cute mirrored compact, for about 0.5 times the cost of a MAC shadow.

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Tips for applying:

1. I swipe this on my brow bones and cheekbones with a wedge sponge after applying my base, and before doing the rest of my makeup. By the time my setting powder goes over it, it's become a soft-focus highlighting sheen which emphasizes bone structure subtly.
2. I sweep this over lids softly with black kitten liner. Apply red lipstick to complete the retro pin-up look.
3. Dab this softly over the cupid's bow, and in inner corners of eyes to enhance your features.
4. If you have light to medium skin, mix a tiny bit of this with your normal powder on a fluffy brush and apply over under-eye concealer for more illumination. THEN apply the rest of your makeup. (Caution: It may be easy to go overboard with this, so be careful and use a very light hand!)

Review: Make Up For Ever Face & Body Liquid Makeup

CLAIMS: 

This waterproof, ultra-light, water-based gel contains no emulsifiers and provides a totally natural, satin finish. Ideal for normal skin-types as well as for fine lines and large pores. Gives skin a uniform tone without accentuating imperfections. A makeup artist's favorite.

INGREDIENTS:  

Aqua, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Cycolentasiloxane, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Mangifera Indica Seed Oil (Mango Seed Butter), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Fragrance, PEG-8, Phenoxyethanol, Tromethamine, Potassium Myristate, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Panthenol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citronnellol, Geraniol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionene. May Contain: CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 777493 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides).

VALUE FOR MONEY:

It's a large bottle but I'll have to let you see how it goes. You do go through quite a bit of it if you use a brush or sponge, and it's not cheap to begin with. Still, I'd say I really like the natural look and lightweight feel.

You can get it with other foundations, but not quite so easily.

SWATCH WATCH:  

MUFE Face and Body Liquid #32 = NC30 = Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation #53 =  (slightly lighter than) Revlon Colorstay 310 Warm Golden = Everyday Minerals Golden Medium Foundation

(This foundation is sheer and "adjusts" to your skin tone a little, so though #32 is maybe just alittle deeper than my usual shade, it's not really noticeable once applied. I have not tried #20 but it does look like I may need to mix #20 and #32 for a perfect match.)

WHAT IT IS: 

A hydro-gel textured sheer-to-medium coverage foundation that stays true to color even in heat and humidity, and allows you to build up coverage in layers.  While transfer-resistant, it's not transfer-proof. But fair enough. I don't want to have to take it off with a toilet-scrub.

FINISH/COVERAGE:

This foundation gives a dewy finish (not shimmery; just like natural skin), but be careful what you apply under it (mattifying primer, moisturizer, etc), as that will affect the texture somewhat. The coverage can be quite moderate if you apply and layer it with your fingers. I find it similar to Studio Sculpt by MAC in coverage, though Studio Sculpt gives a matte-skin finish instead of a dewy one.

FEEL: 

• Applied over fresh moisturizer: tacky for hours
• Applied over clean skin (or after products absorb for 5-10mins): sets to lightweight feel, but will still be ever so slightly tacky to the touch unless you have very dry skin
• This is lighter than Revlon Colorstay foundation, but has a more noticeable "weight" on the skin than Bourjois Healthy Skin or Mac Studio Sculpt.

LONGEVITY: 

Most liquid, gel and cream foundations are water-resistant to a certain degree these days, so I don't find this foundation particularly outstanding in this regard. It does last through a 10-hour work day, but nowhere near as well as my MAC Studio Sculpt, Revlon Colorstay or Bourjois Healthy Mix. Be prepared to touch up quite a few times with powder, especially around the eyes and T-zone. 

APPLICATION OPTIONS:

This "gel-like" foundation does dry and get tacky, so you need to work at a moderate speed to blend it nicely before things start to get too sticky. It doesn't dry as fast or set as stubbornly as Colorstay though, so you have some breathing room to smooth things out.

• Stippling brush: Light, satin finish. Good if you want the sheerest veil of color to even out your skin. I have not tried to layer the foundation with this as it sort of defeats the purpose of using a stippling brush. If you want maximum coverage, try a flat brush or your fingers.
• Foundation brush (flat): Light to Moderate coverage. I find after the second layer, it gets a little hard to smooth more on with the brush, as the liquid starts to dry up on the fibers by then. It also stops looking natural after the second coat, so be warned.
• Damp sponge: Soaks up too much product for me, even when damp. If you don't mind the cost, this does give a lighter, and more matte finish than the other options. 
• Fingers: My favorite for wasting the least amount of product, as it gets the largest amount of pigment onto your face in the least amount of time. This is also the best way to build up more layers of the product without looking too unnatural.

THINGS TO NOTE:

1. If you apply lotion, sunblock and other skincare before this foundation, you need to let it set for a few minutes before applying the Liquid Makeup as the formula will slip and sheer out otherwise. 
2. If you need to layer it on, fingers work best, because as the base layer starts to set and get tacky, it becomes hard to slide more product over it without smearing the bottom one off. You will need to start dabbing, not dragging, in order to build it up. A stippler and sponge can do it, but not nearly as well as your fingers.  
3. This is like nail polish in that the areas where you apply more than one coat will take a disproportionate amount of time to dry fully. If you apply more layers under your eyes, bevery careful that whatever powder you apply over it for several minutes after will still grab and cake up on the moisture.
4. Be warned that this will easily smear off if you spray your face with a toning mist (oil-free) and touch it before it dries.
5. This is scented with a strange citrus-y floral fragrance. It also contains silicones and mango seed butter (so I don't see how anyone can claim it is oil-free). If you have objections or sensitivities to any of these, beware.

RECOMMENDED IF:

1. You want sheer-to-medium or flexible coverage.
2. You love the dewy finish and will trade off a little durability through the day.
3. You are trying to avoid the powdery made-up look.
4. You don't have too many raised/pitted blemishes.
5. You don't have very oily skin.
6. You have slightly oily or combo skin but don't have too many contoured blemishes and don't mind blotting through the day.
7. You want people to say "You're wearing makeup??!"

Out of the Box: Fading and Treating Acne Scars

It’s a vicious cycle when you need to spackle on industrial strength makeup to hide zits, and then spend months covering up the dark spots until they fade. 

 

While many products claim to fade scars, what they do is mostly to prevent more melanin over-production in those areas, the effect of which will only become apparent over a few weeks. These products will typically contain some sort of Vitamin C derivative, licorice, and mulberry extract, etc.

Don’t get me wrong; that’s great. Whatever is soothing your skin and preventing further damage is great. It helps prevent the newer cells below from being impacted, which means your skin will look better as the old cells shed during the normal turnover cycle. But it isn’t really treating or fading your scar.

The only thing I’ve found to really target scar tissue formation, and which I’ve used for years, is:

 Hirudoid Gel or Hirudoid Cream by Medinova.

How it works?

Hirudoid contains mucopolysaccharide (MPS), which is similar to the body’s naturally occurring mucopolysaccharides. Since skin healing relies on the presence of MPS in the tissue, and scientific studies have shown that Hirudoid penetrates the skin far enough to deliver effective concentrations of MPS, it can do the following:

• Improve blood flow (accelerates dissipation of tissue bruising, which occurs when you get a zit)
• Promote tissue regeneration (increasing collagen and elastin fibres in the connective tissue matrix)
• Improve moisture retention by increasing the hyaluronic acid content in your skin itself
• Reduce swelling and inflammation
• Soften scar tissue

Plus, it’s readily available at most drugstores, safe for general use, inexpensive, and scientifically proven to be effective. (By that I mean it has not been merely tested “in vitro” or on 9 women, as so many expensive serums are.)

The Cons?

I don’t find it to be that effective on old scars. It also stings when applied on broken skin. But then it’s not supposed to be applied on fresh wounds anyway. I just can’t resist trying to kick-start the healing as early as possible.

For me?

Sometimes, you just need a few items in your kit that are totally free of all the Marketing BS we get from high-end brands touting miracle potions and creams with mysterious patented ingredients (I’m sure they spend as much money and time trademarking those names as they do researching the actual ingredients) and no substantiation of just what and how the various compounds or chemicals within actually treat your skin.

Hirudoid minimizes the darkness and severity of acne marks if I apply it a couple of times daily when the zit is still around, and continues to speed up healing and fading after that. I generally don’t get raised scars on my face, so I can’t speak on that regard, but I’ve managed to use it on cuts and scabs on my legs from scrapes and falls, and it does help to ensure your scars are faint, and not so pitted or raised. 

I also use it on bruises, insect bites, after getting caught in too much sun, and any other occasion where skin inflammation occurs.

Given it’s humectant, repairing and soothing properties, I’m considering getting the cream formula as an anti-aging treatment, but I’m not sure if it’d do anything if you don’t have any inflammation or scars to treat. Still, it’s not an expensive experiment, so if I do that I will post an update.

All About: My Earliest Makeup (Lipsticks)

All About: My Earliest Makeup (Lipsticks)

Everything Cover Girl.
I’m kidding.

No, actually I’m not.
We only had access to Cover Girl and Maybelline at Drugstores when I was getting curious about makeup at 13. And if you’ve tried Maybelline makeup in the mid-90s, you’ll understand when I say the shadows, blushes and lipsticks were absolutely horrid.

Cover Girl lipsticks, on the other hand, were sooo creamy and had such great color payoff.
I remember saving all my money to blow on 2 for 1 Cover Girl Continuous Color Self-Renewing Lipstick offers. When the lady at the cash register asked me one day why I bought so many, I mumbled something about errand runs for others, then ran off home to play with my “Raisin Craze” and “Red to Remember”.

The other I remember very clearly was Revlon Colorstay Lipcolor. I used to stare at the ad of Cindy Crawford with her mouth puckered into a deep brick-red kiss.

I’d never heard of budge-proof lipsticks at that point.

I had to have it.

I scrimped, I saved… I sneaked out one day and bought 6 of them at 1 shot, the way a dieter might obsess over food all day and sneak out at night for a massive binge.

They were drying, they brought out every line you never knew your lips had, they wore off when you ate, they came in a small range of shades, they cost double what other drugstore lipsticks cost at that point, plus I swear Cindy Crawford (at a shoot) was and still is the only person in the world who didn’t look bad with it on.
But I lost sleep over this lipstick.

And then of course, I never did wear them out much because Revlon Colorstay lipsticks back in the day did not come in very “wearable” colors for 13 year olds. Those very-expensive (for a teen without an income) black and gold tubes sat in my drawer for years, until they were finally thrown out when I moved.

The funny thing is I’m not sure I would wear them even if I had them again now. By today’s standards, these were terrible. And from the quality of Cover Girl lipsticks back in those days and even earlier, I can safely say we already had access to good products, so it wasn’t that we didn’t have a choice.

But how’s that for great marketing?

Love the Look of: Majolica Majorca Sugary Trap Visuals

Majolica Majorca Chapter 30: Sugary Trap
Don’t think I can wear the look, but that’s why I love it.

Do you wear pink all over, and if so how do you do it?