Do You Use Primers? Reviva Labs Makeup Primer Review!

Reviva Labs recently contacted me to do a product review, and they were generous enough to let me select from their vast range of products to decide which one I'd like to sample.

There was A LOT to choose from; this company offers everything from skin firming fluids, to collagen-fibre eye pad kits, to a complete men's skincare line. As foundation primers have recently taken the cosmetics world by storm, and with all the fun I've been having testing them all out, I decided to give Reviva's a whirl:

$19.50 (29.5 mL)

"Apply over moisturizer or instead of moisturizer. Lines fill in, pores are concealed, excess oil is controlled. Skin so touchable, so silky smooth, you will find it hard to believe."

I have used many makeup primers, including L'oreal, Hard Candy, Benefit, and Revlon to name a few. I have yet to try the crowned Smashbox primer, apart from sampling it at the store. This one has much the same consistency and feel as the Smashbox. It is clear and silky smooth.

Here are some comparisons on my skin. Can you see a difference from one to another?

No Makeup:

 

My skin looks lighter with the primer (right pic)^

My chin has always been red and blotchy. You will notice the primer has toned the red down in the second pic as well.

With Makeup:

^ Although subtle, you'll that my skin in the picture on the right has a deeper tone to it. The foundation used for this review was one shade darker than my normal foundation, and it showed up nicer on the primed skin than the bare skin, to show the true color. The foundation blended much better when used with the primer - it went on lighter and I also used less than I did on the non primed skin. With the primer, my skin has a glow to it.

Foundation Used: Estee Lauder Resilience Life Creme Compact in Biscuit

Would I recommend this product?

Yes, I would. While the results were subtle, I did see a difference in my skin, under foundation especially.

If you are looking for a light weight formula that you can't feel, this option would be for you.

Another great thing is that it is non-comodegenic (won't clog pores). Not all makeup primers are, so if you have problems with breakouts as I sometimes do, you will like it even more.

Have you used this primer?

*Disclaimer: This product was sent free of charge from Reviva Labs for consideration.

Reviva Labs Inc. Haddonfield, NJ 08033

Viva Glam Gaga II - Nude

I bought this shade out of indignity.

Before this, I'd never worn nude lip color. I thought, what is the point? Why would you take one of the most beautifully colored features of your face, that is made to stand out, and blend it in with the rest of your face to look skin colored of all things? I just didn't get it.

When I saw the new Viva Glam shade that everyone had been raving about though, I decided to give it a try, if only to prove to myself right; that it would indeed look horrible on me ...

I think it's safe to say I was w-r-o-n-g about the whole nude lipstick shade thing.

I love it! It's gorgeous, soft, feminine, even vintagey looking. And it pairs perfectly with dark, dramatic eyes. (Of course). I am definitely a new naked lipstick fan; it appears I have seen the light!

What is your opinion of Nude Lipstick?

Love for Estee Lauder

Last week my colleague pulled out a flyer for Estee Lauder's gift with purchase, and that was all it took to have me visiting their counter the next day. I've never tried any Estee Lauder products, but given the fact they own pretty much half of the makeup companies out there, (MAC included), I thought it was high time I gave them a try.

The deal is, you spend $34 on any Estee Lauder product and receive a free gift valued at $100. I've been on a foundation kick lately, in search of the best one out there. After hearing how amazing EL's foundations were, I naturally made it the focus of my expenditure.

Resiliance Lift Extreme Ultra Firming Creme Compact Makeup in Biscuit

I wanted a compact foundation, as it's so much simpler and quicker than liquid+powder together.

The Estee Lauder counter lady was one of those immaculately groomed, older Eastern European woman; the ones with long laquered nails who make you feel like you're inconveniencing them by offering your business at the counter.

"Well I can't swatch on yar face to test, the foundation yar wearing is wrong." She flicked a drawer with a myriad of liquids and powders out. "Here, let me do yar neck."

After a light sprinkling of more unintentional insults she selected the correct shade for me. In the end, I loved it. I'll take an abrasive counter lady who gives me solid advice over a nice one who sells me the wrong color any day. I learned from Paulaskivina that it's not necessarily about how dark/light the shade is, but the tone. For instance, right now I'm a neutral medium tone. I'd look better in a neutral dark (even though it would technically be way darker than my skin tone) than a medium warm, as this would look orangey and fake on me.

Anywhoo ....Love the coverage of this foundation, love the shade, love everything!

*****************

Then it was time for my free gift!

 I received a floral EL makeup pouch and inside were the following items:

Soft Clean Tender Creme

Resilience Lift Extreme Ultra Firming Creme SPF 15

Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil in brown (LOVE)

Double Wear Lipstick in "Pink Parfait" (LOVE)

Eyeshadow Palette with neutrals:

Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex

And that is it!

***Unfortunately my skin has undergone some pretty bad break outs this past week, and I am trying to locate the culprit. I fear it may be this new foundation. I've discontinued it's use this week until it clears up, and will give it a final try before righting it off for good. I hope it is not the foundation, because it's the best I've used so far!!!

Do you like Estee Lauder?

Shopping Bag - Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipsticks, Sake, and Wine Haul

I adore Covergirl's new Lip Perfection Lipstick collection. Their pinks are to die for! I like the casing too, and they are quite moisturizing for a traditional lipstick.

They promise to give you "more beautiful lips" in just 7 days =)

Of course I got the brightest pinks of the collection. Below, 400 "Temptress", and 385 "Feline". I love the names they gave the lipsticks. Wouldn't that be the funnest job? I want to be a professional lipstick namer. I could just sit around dreaming up new and fantastic names for pretty pink lipsticks all day .. I've been on the hunt for "Sweetheart", the prettiest pink imo, since the collection came out, but it's always sold out b'time I'm in front of them.

^Left:Feline, Right: Temptress^

Feline On Lips:

It has quite a bit of sheen, and goes on almost like a gloss, but with a lot of pigment.

Temptress of Lips:

This is a lot brighter in real life, and as you'll see, it's a lot more opaque than feline. The pigment is incredible. 

Over all I'm really satisfied with these lipsticks. The color lasts a long time on the lips.

Repurchase? Definitely!

I give them 5/5.

Wine Haul:

Me and Ryan recieved a lovely gift card to the "Wine Cellar", a very impressive downtown underground wine boutique, just like a vintage wine cellar. Saturday we spent a good amount of time browsing the aisles, country by country and selecting all new wines we had never tried. We got a shiraz, merlot, pinot noir, chenin blanc, and champagne from various regions of the world including South Africa, Italy, France, Australia, and USA.

I also couldn't resist this little bottle of Sake. I think warm Sake is such a nice treat on a cold winter night:

But now I want a sake set!

Here are my faves:

Sitting inside on a rainy evening by a fireplace, with some delicious sushi and hot sake served with a beautiful set - perfect.

There is also this HK sake set:

Charming, but I'm not sure how I feel about drinking strong alcohol from such a childishly themed sake set. Just a little ... off putting?

I also decided to wrap up my 30 day blog challenge in this post.

Blog Challenge Conclusion: Day 26-30.

26:What kind of person attracts me:

I don't think I necesarily have a specifiic "type". It's just a feeling I get when I am attracted to someone right off  the bat. How they make me feel in their prescence; if they make me feel sexy, confident, special, or unique, but genuinely and without trying to make me feel this way. Its all natural; something I can't quite put my finger on but know is there.

27:A problem I have had:

I've had issues with self confidence that has manifested itself differently in the past.

28:Something that I miss.

Summer! Nice weather, beaches, sunshine. Songs or the smell of perfume from last summer will make me miss it even more. I can't wait to drop the fricking top. (Of my car that is!)  It feels like it has been winter FOREVER right now.

29:Goals for the next 30 days:

Pass all my courses! Keep wedding planning on track. Begin toning up for the wedding.

30: Highs and Lows of this month:

Highs: Laughing lots

Lows: Weather

I hope you had a marvelous weekend =)

 Have you tired these new CG lipsticks?

Maybelline FIT me! Liquid Foundation & Powder

Hello!

I was so happy to FINALLY come across Maybelline's new line of skin makeup. I'd searched at a few Walmarts and Shoppers, but always left disapointed when I couldn't find the line anywhere. Finally I happened upon it at the Shoppers just steps from our place, and almost jumped for joy!

The FIT me collection carries liquid foundations, powders, and concealers in three different tones - 100s, 200s, and 300s.  Within these there are three levels, 115, 125, and 135 for example.

I swatched a little bit, and my closest match appeared to be 135.

I do love the packaging, it's quite professional looking and non-drug storey, in my opinion.

I bought the liquid foundation and pressed powder in 135:

 

I'd heared great things so far about this line, so naturally I expected to love it ... and to be honest, I did!

I took some pics to show you how it looks.

I'm sure you'll notice I airbrush a lot of my pics - I kept these ones completely untouched so you can see what the foundation and powder looks like on my skin:

I do love it.

I used the Sigma foundation brush for the foundation, and just the powder puff that came with the powder. I don't know how long it lasted, as I washed it off sooner than I normally would with my foundation, but overall, I am definitely impresssed!

Have you tried this new line?

Let me know!

p.s. thanks for continuing to read my blog - I've officially fallen off track with my 30 day blog challenge, but this week has been HECTIC! So much schoolwork,busiest it's ever been at work, plus some other EXCITING news that I will share shortly.

Hope you are all doing well =)

Creating Bigger Eyes

We all know that putting white/shimmery eyeshadow on the inner corners of our eyes makes them appear wider apart; it's simply makeup 101! I found a little variation on this trick though, and it made my eyes appear more almond shaped and further apart - great for me especially, as I have quite deep set eyes, although they already have an almond shape to them.

Take a white eyeliner crayon and line the inner third just below your lower lashline, and your waterline with dark eyeliner. Do the same with the top lid, winging it slightly at the ends.

Shopping Bag: Hello Kitty for Sephora !!

Hi, Dolls!!

How many of you have gotten any Hello Kitty stuff from Sephora's new collection?

I wasn't expecting much, and didn't want to buy some only for the HK packaging, (I'm trying not to be such a sucker for packaging these days - we'll see how that goes).

But I was actually A LOT more impressed with the collection than I thought, and I bought the following products :

Above: Apple Cheeks Hilighter in Cotton Ball, Sweet Gloss lipstick in Pink Grapfruit, Pen Pal Eyeliner in Goodnight Dreams

^ Hilighter and Lipstick

 Pacakging is sooooo cute!

^Is this not the prettiest pink you have ever seen?

Pen Pal eyeliner in Good Night Dreams (black)

I LOVE this eyeliner, it has the perfect felt tip ... even better than the Lancome Artliner in my opinion.

^Swatched from left to right: Cotton Ball, Pink grapfruit, Goodnight Dreams

Free gift Time!!!

Another 500 points on my Beauty Insider Card !!! I like this prize better than the last one I got ... Mostly for the benefit blush that I got!

A sample size of Benefit's BAD gal Lash in black. I was impartial to this .. I think there's much better mascaras out there, but it will be good to carry around in my purse for touch ups =)

 

I was SUPER happy to get this - my first Benefit blush in Coralista!!

Coral is my favorite color for blush =) Haven't tried it out but sure it's great. Have you guys tried this before?

 

Quick pitstop @ LUSH for some Valentines goodies =) Frog Prince bath bomb and Magic Mushroom Bubble Bar! I used the bottom half of the bubble bar last night in my bath and even with only half there were TONS of bubbles. Now I can use the other half at another time.


Before leaving the mall, I stopped in at Dynamite. Haven't gotten anything from there in awhile, but there were some great deals. The abover purple shirt was ...... $10! Couldn't pass it up.
And the below snake skin inspired tunic which will look great with leggings or tights!

After shopping, we went to the see The Roomate with Leighten Meester. I knew it would be bad, cause it got horrible review on Rotten Tomatoes, but I still wanted to see it! Overall, it could have been better, but I did enjoy it =)

After the movie, we went to Earl's for dinner. I had the White Orchid martinit and loved it =)

Hope you had a great weekend!