Review: [Japonesque] Velvet Touch Foundation and Velvet Touch Concealer

Because I love Japonesque Velvet Touch Finishing Powder so so much, I might as well get other products with the name "Velvet Touch". A few weeks ago I reviewed the Velvet Touch Primer and today I will continue with the foundation and concealer, both are in shade #2 which is the second lightest shade of both products.

Velvet Touch Foundation

Rating kisses (out of 5): 

Pros:

- Velvet texture that is so easy to blend with a BRUSH.
- Beautiful matte finish that looks very smooth
- It feels as light as air! This is probably the most lightweight foundation I've ever tried.
- Pleasant scent
- Not accentuate dry patches or fine lines.

Cons:

- Light coverage
- Get shiny after 5-6 hours
- Jar packaging isn't ideal for travel.

I was so tempted to go back to Ulta to get another jar because I love the soft smooth finish and how it feels on my skin so much, but then stopped myself from doing so remembering that I normally require my foundations to be at least medium coverage. Nevertheless, I have been enjoying this foundation a lot.

Velvet Touch Concealer

Rating kisses: 

Pros:

- Creamy
- Very full coverage. A light dab can cover my red blemish completely!
- Long lasting
- Pretty packaging

Cons: None

This is such a beautiful concealer, from the packaging to the actual product! Note that this is a thick concealer so if you want to use it for under-eye areas, avoid applying too much product and remember to blend and set it very well.

Review: [Make Up For Ever] Mat Velvet + Mattifying Foundation

I have been looking for a matifying foundation for summer and I tried 3 popular ones: MUFE Mat Velvet +, Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage and Estee Lauder Double Wear. MUFE Mat Velvet + is the only one I actually bought and tried continuously for a week. I will also write a little about the other 2 since I did try the samples a few times.


1. MUFE Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation

I tried this foundation with matifying primer and setting powder using both beauty blender and a flat kabuki brush.

Pros:

• Full coverage
• Not heavy if applying the right amount
• Nice soft matte finish

Cons:

• Doesn't stay matte, turns to dewy finish in 1-2 hours
• Comes off easily around my T-zone
• Oxidized
• Becomes cakey and heavy if applying too much
• Accentuate dryness

2. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage

Pros:

• Full coverage
• Long lasting

Cons:

• Settles in pores
• Feels heavy

3. Estee Lauder Double Wear

This foundation feels very similar to the Too Faced Born This Way foundation, except that it dries to a matte finish as compared to the natural finish of the Born This Way foundation, doesn't feel as lightweight but provides more coverage.

Pros:

• Full coverage
• Creamy texture that blends easily.
• Dry to a nice matte finish.
• Long-lasting

Cons:

• Doesn't have a pump (NOOOO!!!)
• A little heavy (but can still be used as a heavy-duty foundation for special occasions)

I had a very high hope for the MUFE Mat Velvet + but unfortunately it didn't work for me. Estee Lauder Double Wear seems nice but wouldn't be the one I'll reach to on a daily basis. Tarte Amazonian Clay settling in my pores is a big "no no". It means I'm still trying out matte foundations so stay tune for more foundation reviews!

Review: [Too Faced] Cocoa Powder Foundation

Since I bought the Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer, I had been thinking about getting another product from Too Faced's cocoa product line. I know most of you would think about the Chocolate Bar or the Semi-sweet Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Palettes right away, but I already have quite a few palettes with similar shades in my collection so I decided to get this Cocoa Powder Foundation. You'll see that in this post I'm comparing this powder with my most favorite powder foundation and setting powder, the Benefit Hello Flawless Powder and the Japonesque Velvet Touch Finishing Powder.

I wanted to get the shade Light but but I thought it was a little too pink for me while the shade Golden Light was a little too dark, so the only option I had left is Fair. Now, I kinda regret not getting the shade Golden Light.

Claims:

• Exclusive Cocoa Complex is a proprietary blend of antioxidant-rich cocoa powder and moisturizing cocoa butter that work together to hydrate and smooth skin and boost your mood
• Eight flexible shades work on almost any skin tone
• Oil-absorbing
• Medium-to-full undetectable coverage
• Hyaluronic filling spheres diminish the appearance of fine lines and pores and aid with long-lasting hydration
• Crystalline Powder is made up of hexagonal-shaped platelets that slide over each other to bring out skin’s natural radiance while added pearl powder creates a soft focus effect leaving skin with a luminous rose petal finish
• Vegan Friendly
• Paraben Free

Rating kisses (out of 5): 

The packaging is very similar to the Soleil bronzers except that the color is black, not gold and that there's a sponge included underneath the actual powder.

It also smells like yummy chocolate just like the Soleil bronzers, which I love. Also, who doesn't like cocoa powder that is antioxidant-rich and may prevent or delay some types of cell damage?

It is claimed to "glide on seamlessly, blending into skin for a weightless, plush-matte, rose petal finish." Although I can see some particles in the pan, these particles don't show up on skin at all. Thus, the finish is somewhat matte and pretty smooth so I guess that looks like rose petal finish. The powder is also very fine so it does feel weightless on skin.

Now, because it is a powder foundation, I have to talk about its coverage. The coverage is light to medium; it is not medium to full like the Benefit Hello Flawless Powder. That is the reason I don't like to use it as a foundation but as a setting or touch-up powder instead.

As a foundation, I don't think it is enough to diminish the appearance of fine lines and my large pores! Because the coverage is too light, it is also hard to tell if it lasts long or not as a foundation.
As a setting powder, it does help blurring fine lines and pores but not as well as my holy grail Japonesque Velvet Touch Finishing Powder. My T-zone starts to get shiny after 4-5 hours with this powder as compared to 7-8 hours if I use the Velvet Touch powder. Thus, it's oil-absorbing feature is average

My final thought is that I really like it because of the fact that it has a very nice soft texture and smells amazing. I don't love it like I love my Japonesque Velvet Touch Finishing Powder which actually blurs my pores a lot or my Benefit Hello Flawless Powder Foundation which has more coverage, but I can see myself repurchasing it just to bring it with me everyday to touch up. I really enjoy putting this powder on.

So ... if you've tried it before, let me now in the comment section below!

Review: [Too Faced] Born This Way Foundation

I want to introduce my new favorite foundation: the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation which currently has 12 shades and my shade is Ivory. There are not a lot of shades for people who are too fair or too dark but I've heard there will be 2 shades lighter than Porcelain and 4 shades darker than Caramel coming this Fall.

Now, let's check out the claims ...

Reviews

Rating kisses (out of 5): 

I won't say so much about the packaging since you might already see it in the picture ... gorgeous, isn't it? I also love that it has a pump for easy control of product amount!

An important thing I need to say before getting into the review is that I use this foundation with silicone-based primers and I find that they work well together. The primers I'm using are Japonesque Velvet Touch, Monistat, and ELF Poreless. I saw a girl on YouTube changing her opinion on this product from "hate" to "love" after changing the primer she used with it from Maybelline Master Blur and Smooth to Smashbox Photo Finish. I also saw many people who love the foundation tend to be the ones who use silicone-base primer. What I'm trying to say is if the foundation seems to not work out for you, you might want to look at what primer you're using with it.

Let's check how it holds true to its claims:

+ Oil-free? - YES. It doesn't make my skin any oilier than normal.
+ Moisturizing? - YES. It doesn't make my skin dry throughout the day.
+ Blur imperfections? - YES. My pores appear smaller and my complexion looks smoother.
+ Medium-full coverage? - YES. I need only half a pump to achieve a medium coverage.
+ Natural/ undetectable? - YES. The finish is natural, not matte, not dewy and doesn't look cakey.
+ Perfect? - NO. There are a few things making this foundation not for everyone:

• It doesn't claim to control oil so very-oily-skin girls who prefer a matte finish might want to look for a mattifying foundation instead although they might be able to get away with it by using a mattifying primer and a setting powder.
• I find that the foundation sometimes accentuates dry patches on my chin when my skin is very dry or when I don't moisturize well enough. However, this drawback isn't as bad as most foundations (I'm looking at the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation) so I think only very-dry-skin girls need to be careful.

There are other benefits this foundation isn't claimed to have but actually offers for your makeup:

+ Long-lasting? - YES. I said it doesn't control oil so I still see my oil starting to come out after 4-5 hours; however, the magic happens when I blot with a tissue paper and my face looks fresh again. The foundation is still there and not separated! It won't be melted by heat, sweat or oil like other foundations! This never happened to me before! What else? ... It isn't oxidized. Don't believe that I leave it on my face long enough? Well, I leave the house at 8 AM so I put the foundation even before that, drive almost 2 hours to my work place (yes, 2 hours ladies!), stay at work for 8 hours, drive back for another 2 hours (T.T!), and arrive home at 8PM. Except for the oil it isn't claimed to control, the foundation looks the same after 12 hours!!!
+ Light-weight? - YES. I don't really feel anything when wearing this foundation, but only when I use the right amount for my face, which is only half a pump.
+ Looking good in photos? - YES. Not only the foundation doesn't have that white cast in flash photos 'cause there's no SPF, it also makes skin look brighter and blurred in non-flash photos.


That was a long review to read; I tried to cover everything you should know to consider buying this foundation. My final thought is that although it is not a perfect foundation for everyone, it is for me and has been my go-to everyday foundation. I have combination skin so in the Summer my skin won't get as oily as the oily skin type and in the Winter it won't get as dry as the dry skin type. Also, I don't mind blotting once before going out for lunch (I normally have lunch pretty late, around 2PM), so I have nothing to complain.

I'm still in the market for a non-heavy full-coverage matte foundation though so I'll try out some famous ones out there and write a post about what I find. Hope this review helps!

One-Brand Review: E.L.F (Eyes Lips Face) Cosmetics

 ELF Cosmetics is the brand that reminds me the time when I first wore makeup about 7 years ago and also the brand I bought my first makeup from. I remember buying their lip glosses, cream eyeliners, eyeliner/eyeshadow duo sticks and a clear mascara but I didn't really like any of those except for the last one. I don't want to review those products now because I bought them so long ago so it would be unfair for ELF if they've improved their products. I've recently rediscovered the brand since I've started to hear a lot of raves about their makeup and brushes from other bloggers and YouTubers. Here are what I bought:

Matte Lip Color in Rich Red ($3)

Rating kisses (out of 5): 

This matte lip color is creamy and comfortable on my lips, not drying at all, yet also lightweight. Those pros alone make up for 4 kisses. The fifth kiss is for this particular shade only. I've loved the shade Monte Carlo of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream, which is a blue-toned red. However, I don't really like the lip cream's formula since it dries out my lips, so I had been searching for the same shade with a better formula. This shade is very hard to find but I finally found it! My search has come to an end! Because the other shades are either nude/neutral or dark, I hope they would have brighter shades in the future.


Studio Poreless Face Primer ($6)

Rating kisses: 

In terms of covering pore and keeping the makeup longer, it is a decent product. My pores don't completely disappear but their appearance is reduced. Most people complain about the weird and strong "chemical" smell, but it's actually the scent of tea tree oil which is good for skin; strangely, I enjoy that scent a lot. This primer has a slippery feel (not "greasy" like many people said) instead of powdery, which makes it perfect under foundations that have a very dry texture and are hard to blend. I would describe it as a moisturizing primer.


Essential Acne Fighting Spot Gel with Aloe (Zit Zapper - $2)

Rating kisses: 

This acne treatment is very good when I see the first sign of pimples! I don't have acne problems but sometimes a pimple just pops up from nowhere and it hurts!!! Again, I've found that this product works well when a pimple is ABOUT to form (meaning the troubled area on your skin hurts when you touch it but is hard to be seen or just slightly pink); after applying the product, the pain and/or the pinkish spot will disappear overnight. That being said, this treatment gel isn't that effective on already-formed pimples; even so, at least the pimples won't proceed to the next stage (worsened).


Studio Daily Moisture Stick ($6)

Rating kisses: 

I bought this moisturizing stick to quickly fix my dry spots during the day without interfering with my makeup. It actually works well for this purpose. The stick has a light-weight gel formula and gives a weird feeling that I'm rubbing a lip balm onto my skin, but I don't mind it. I have combination skin and the weather is hot so I don't really reach for it now, but I can see myself using it more during fall/ winter.


Studio Eyebrow Kit ($3)

Rating kisses: 

This is a good product, especially for the price. The cream color is a little greasy so I do have to set my brows with the powder color if I want my brow color to last longer. I like it but I normally prefer the quick application of a brow pencil. Their Essential Instant Lift Brow Pencil has just come out recently and I'm very excited because I've heard it's a dupe of the famous $21 Anastasia Brow Wiz.


Flawless Finish Foundation ($6)

Rating kisses: 

I feel like this is a dupe of the Philosophy Miracle Worker Foundation (but not as lightweight), which means it is greasy and only good for dry skin. I don't think it is oil-free. It's still usable on my combination skin but I can only use it during the Winter. It is not heavy and has a smooth dewy finish so I don't hate it, but I don't think of it as one of my favorites.


Essential Clear Brow & Lash Mascara ($2)

Rating kisses: 

Sometimes I like to use a clear mascara to define my eyelashes on lazy days and I can only find this type of product at ELF. The lash mascara does help defining my eye lashes a little and the brow mascara keep my brows in place. For those who have straight lashes, don't curl your lash before applying this clear mascara but AFTER, because I find that the gel is pretty wet and tends to weigh my eyelashes down.


Studio Lip Exfoliator ($3)

Rating kisses: 

I like the concept of this stick exfoliator. I also like the yummy coffee scent and the sweet taste. Does it exfoliate my lips? Yes, but very gently. Sometimes I have a lot of dead skin on my lips that I prefer wetting my lips and rubbing the dead skin off since the exfoliator is too "gentle" to do the job well. This product is inexpensive so I do recommend you to try it out because I know some people prefer a more gentle product.


Essential Shine Eraser ($1)

Rating kisses: 

These sheets are essential for my combination skin on humid days. They're also so cheap and do the job, even though not as well as the ones from Clean & Clear (around $5) and I normally need more than 1 sheet to blot my face.


Essential Natural Lash Kit ($1)

Rating kisses: 

These lashes are not natural on my small and hooded eyes at all, but might be natural on other people.


Studio Eye Liner ($3)

Rating kisses: 

I bought five because it was so cheap, used one, and gave the rest away. This eyeliner breaks so easily and turns me to a panda in a few hours.


Studio Complexion Brush ($3)

Rating kisses: 

This is the brush I've been using for bronzing and contour. The bristles are soft enough to create natural contour. I have 2 of this brush and washed them multiple times but luckily no hair has come off.


Studio Stipple Brush ($3)

Rating kisses: 

I LOVE using this brush for powder blushes, especially the more pigmented ones. If you have highly pigmented powder blushes and have a hard time to work with them, GET THIS BRUSH! The size is perfect for my cheeks; not too small, not too big, just perfect! This brush is also good as a powder brush for an all-over-face light dusting.


Studio Small Stipple Brush ($3)

Rating kisses: 

I bought this brush to pair with my ColourPop Super Shock Cheek blushes and it is good for that purpose. The brush was meant for ELF's liquid blushes (the Studio HD Blushes) so I think it is a very good brush for liquid and cream blushes.


Studio Blush Brush ($3)

Rating kisses: 

This brush is good for a more precise application of blush and contour. I normally prefer a natural look of blush and contour so I don't reach for it that often, but I like to use it for less pigmented blushes.