The Review | Chanel Mat Lumière

A Classic For A Classic

Foundation, I love the stuff but I hate the stuff. All the promises that these companies make, the tag lines that pull me in to buy them and believe that I'll look airbrushed in real life if I spend all my pretty pennies on this 'holy grail product'.. I could cry at the amount of money I've wasted on foundations, but rather I choose to ignore it and push it to a deep corner in the back of my mind.

I used to do dancing so I was using foundation from an early-ish age but only once or twice a year and my Mum would always be the one to choose it for me and match my colour (even she knew to match to the neck) so I think my first foundation that I didn't borrow from her was a Bloom cosmetics one. I loved it, I felt so grown up and sophisticated wearing my foundation (a maximum five times a year) and thought I'll love this product forever! Despite the fact that it became discontinued as a brand, I grew up and realised it wasn't actually that great for my changing skin type. From I'd say 16 years old, give or take, I started experimenting with more foundations which for the most part were just 'drugstore' so from Priceline or Target. I have tried more foundations that I could even remember and nothing I've ever loved enough to dub a HG- holy grail product. Until now.

Ooh Chanel you are so beauty-fell (see my rhyme there) but really, I could sing this to my bottle of Mat Lumière every morning if I woke up feeling strange enough. I've been using this for I think almost two months now pretty much everyday and there hasn't been a day yet when I've looked at my reflection and thought 'ew this isn't sitting well on my face or I look cakey, patchy, nothing'. As I mentioned in my 'Best of the Minis' blogpost, the lovely lady at the David Jones Chanel counter matched me to either B20 or B30 in this formula and gave me samples to try in natural lighting and to see how they both oxidised on my skin. I used both for a week or so and was going to go with B30 but decided that as I will get paler in the coming months, to go for B20 so I can just warm it up with powder, bronzer or the like. A $72 dent in my wallet and five minutes later I was the proud owner of my first Chanel foundation. As the name would suggest it leaves the skin with a matte but also luminous finish, definitely not dull or flat looking and I would say it is a medium but buildable coverage great for both day and night. I have taken a few flash photos whilst wearing this and no obvious stark white face has appeared which is a bonus. It doesn't feel thick or heavy on the skin and it's not one of those foundations that I'm itching to get home and wash off my face. I wear this to a full day at work, maybe blot once or twice throughout the day and reapply powder but I can comfortably wear this for a long day.

What they say- 'Mat Lumière, the perfect balance between softness, radiance and a matte finish. The fluid formula blends delicately into the skin. It contains silica in the form of fine porous and spherical particles to help ensure a matte complexion. Shiny areas are mattified and the radiance of the face is revealed. At the same time, coated pigments help conceal imperfections with an optical effect. They even out and light up the complexion for beautiful glowing skin. The polymers in the formula help to optimise the hold and matte finish of the foundation.' 
(I feel like this is a direct translation from French because the grammar and structure is not great but that is what the leaflet tells me!)

What I say- Over the top of the Hourglass mineral veil primer, I buff this in using my Real Techniques buffing brush and am given the finish that they describe. A evened out, matte but luminous complexion that is long lasting (they say 12 hours) and feels nice on the skin. Definitely recommend this to my fellow combination skin gals looking for a flattering matte finish to their foundation.

Quick Bits-
Cost- $72 (RRP for Australia)
Availability- Department Stores
SPF- 15
Lasting time- They say 12 hours and I would agree
Finish- Matte but luminous
Application- They recommend just using your fingers in circular movements but I prefer the Real Techniques buffing or Stippling brushes.

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Summer Face Savers

With Summer leaving us Aussies and heading for the North, I thought I'd share a few products that I've dubbed 'summer savers' for those icky humid days where everything tends to slide south on your face the minute you step out the door. In saying that our weather has been so up and down, I can't be sure I won't be needing these well into Autumn!

To start off- an SPF, essential for 30 degree + days in Sydney and everyday in general really. I like the Kiehl's SPF 50+++ that I've spoken about previously in a post or one that was recommended to me by my dermatologist- Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 50+ . This leaves, as the name would suggest, a dry touch to the face not that tacky, creamy feeling that most general sunscreens leave which makes it perfect to apply makeup over the top of. 

Next essential for me would be a primer, no surprise I'm going to suggest the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer for an amazing all rounder that will help your makeup to adhere to your face longer. In warmer weather I want the least amount of makeup on my actual face, I don't want anything that's going to feel heavy and like it's blocking every single pore on my face so I like the Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation in Opal which has added SPF 35, it's hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic and fragrance-free. It is quick a thick fluid but you can easily sheer it out with your fingers. It doesn't have the best lasting power for me, especially when it's really hot and humid so I always set it using either the Clinique Blended Face Powder or Makeup Store Translucent Setting Powder . 

Not the nicest of thoughts/visuals but blotting is a must for me especially in hot weather, so Blotting Papers are a necessity for quick touch ups throughout the day. I picked up these Paul & Joe ones from ASOS but you can find them online or in Priceline type stores. A product that is definitely not a necessity but more a luxury that I still don't fully understand the purpose of- Avene Thermal Spring Water, I also have tried the La Roche Posay which is equally good at being purified water in a can, this product is just nice to spray over your face and body when it all just gets a bit too overwhelmingly hot. 

To finish off, a spritz of Urban Decay 'Chill' makeup setting spray all over the face which promises to regulate your temperature in some fancy scientific way, to lock everything in. A good lipbalm that protects your lips from the sun because burnt lips are not fun at all and voila, these are my summer face savers that I always turn to when I know it's going to be a warm day.  

Again, this seems a bit useless now that we're officially in Autumn but it's Summer in the North and really these products are great all year round for maintaining your makeup throughout the day.

Instagram- @beautylocale. Follow me for regular beauty, life and bits posts!

Korres | Sage & Salicylic Acid Cleansing Gel

From a young age, my parents always drilled into me the importance of protecting and caring for your skin especially from the sun (not that I always took note) but also a good skincare routine when I entered the glorious teenage years and was immediately hit with problematic skin. I think my Mum had similar issues and problem areas when she was my age so she always emphasised the importance of taking good care of your skin and having a routine. Alas, even as a youngin I was cleansing morning and night, moisturising and dabbing tea tree oil on those pesky spots. Now that I fund my own beauty habit, I've dabbled in a range of skincare and definitely see the importance of using the right products for your skin type and also spending a bit extra to get more worthwhile and when possible, natural products. Don't get me wrong, a cheap bottle of tea tree oil will forever remain in my bathroom cupboard and supermarket buys like Cetaphil, QV and Simple products are more than sufficient for many people. When possible though, I try to buy more natural products and avoid the usual- parabens, sulfates and mineral oils as well as fragrances that can just further irritate your skin. 

This post isn't meant to be all about my skincare routine but rather a review on my most recent cleanser purchase- the Korres Sage & Salicylic Acid Regulating Gel ($25.50) although I got mine on offer for under $20. I was scrolling through the Beauty pages of ASOS and saw this, gave it a quick Google for any reviews, which seemed to be fairly positive so I thought why not give it a try? I quite like Korres products, I bought a few lip products when I was in Greece completely unaware it's in fact a Greek brand.. (duh) and more to the point I like that it has a long list of no nasties. My last cleanser was the Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser which I bought because it was soapless which I have been told can just strip your natural oils. I had no issues with it, I quite liked it but was happy to try something new. Prior to this was the tried and true Cetaphil Oily Skin cleanser but I found it left my skin feeling a bit tight after washing. However it did a good job and removed 99% of my makeup. 

Ok, enough rambling back to Korres- when I first used it I wet my face, rubbed it all over, stopped and literally said out loud "Oh no, I don't like that"in terms of the smell but it grew on me quite quickly and now I really like it. I use this for both morning and night, although at night I remove a good deal of my make up first using Bioderma then double cleanse with this. I use either the Simple toner or Lush Tea Tree Water  and very little remnants of make up remains. It doesn't leave my skin feeling tight or dry, I just feel fresh and clean. You only need a pea size amount and it gently lathers into more than enough for your face and neck. I haven't yet fully determined if it has reduced the oiliness of my skin in general but maybe with further use. For reference, my skin is combination/oily.

What they say- ' Regulating cleansing gel for oily skin prone to imperfections. Deep, purifying cleansing that removes traces of dirt, residue and oil without leaving skin feeling dry or tight. Ideal for everyday use on face and body. 90.1% Natural content.

What I say- 'Agreed. I Definitely recommend'.

Instagram- @beautylocale

               

 

The Wedding Face

Last week one of my beautiful friends, Michelle was attending a wedding and asked me to do her face for her. Of course I was more than happy to and she was also kind enough to let me photograph before and after and now she may be making future appearances on this blog
Her dress was a coral, lilac print and she wanted a purple toned eye to complement both her dress and lovely green eyes. For a Summer wedding I thought a nice soft purple eye would be appropriate and a few quick tweaks later on could take the look into the evening.

I started with Benefit's Porefessional Primer around the nose and a bit down the T-zone and prepped her eyes using Urban Decay's Original Primer Potion. As a base I used Maybelline 24hr Eye Tattoo in Barely Branded seeing as these things last for hours and hours. For the most part of the eyes I used a L'Oreal trio in 405- Stay Ultra Violet, Tease from the Naked 2 palette through the crease, Bootycall as a brow highlight and a touch of this iridescent LA splash glitter on the inner third of the lid for an extra touch of glitz and glamour! A small cat eye using Maybelline gel liner, a few lashings of Jordana's Best Lash Extreme and finally L'Oreal infallible eyeshadow in Purple Obsession smudged into the bottom lash line.

Brows were done using Wet n Wild Brow kit, some subtle bronzing around the edges of the face with MAC Matte bronzing powder and Nars Amour blush on the cheeks for a gorgeous pink glow.

As Michelle is slightly more pale than I am, I used her own foundation which was Napoleon Perdis Advanced Mineral Makeup liquid foundation and set her whole face using the Camera Finish powder.

A spritz of Urban Decay 'Chill' setting spray and voila! She was ready.

All of the brushes used were either Real Techniques, Sigma or Bdellium. I know this is a very brief rundown but I wanted to share this anyway. Maybe in the future I'll do a more step by step but usually I just wing it and make it up as I go along!

Product Reviews | The Best of the Minis

When it comes to things that are miniature in size, I'm a complete sucker. Whether it's deluxe samples or products that come in a small size, I can't resist, they're just too cute! (An advertiser's dream right here..) I've been collecting some of the miniatures that I have either acquired or purchased with a future blogpost in mind to share my thoughts and maybe endorse a few purchases..

Let's start with Benefit's Porefessional ($53AUD) There's no denying this is a serious 'cult' product that receives glowing reviews and I was lucky enough to get this deluxe sample size as a freebie with a magazine I bought when I was in the UK. Surprisingly this size lasted me a good while seeing as you only need a small amount and a year later I purchased the full size, again whilst overseas. This product is great for filling in pores and giving you an all around smoother appearance. Not sure how much this does in terms of mattifying your t-zone though but I do enjoy using it as more of a targeted area primer.

Origin's Super Spot Remover ($19AUD) Not a sample size, just adorably small. This may seem pricey for a spot gel but man oh man is it worth spending a bit extra. This stuff is definitely my go-to when my skin is acting out, I just pop it on before I go to bed and in the morning my spots are definitely reduced in redness and size. This dries it out without making the skin around the area too dry and flakey. I think this may be my second or third bottle..

Kiehl's Ultra Face Cream (from $34AUD) and Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense (from $38USD) Both of these deluxe samples were gift with purchase of the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Serum as a little rejuvenating pack I think. For an oily skin gal like me, I think the Ultra Face Cream would be too heavy generally for everyday use but at one point my skin was looking quite dehydrated and flakey and this fixed it right up! Hasn't sold me enough to purchase the full size but a good product nonetheless and I scraped the mini jar dry. Daily UV Defense is still going strong and I put this on underneath my makeup when I know I'll be outdoors rather than inside at work all day. With an SPF of 50+++ it definitely has the tick of approval for Australia's hot, Summer days and I feel well and truly protected when wearing it.

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer (from $25AUD) Hourglass, can you do no wrong?! Honestly, every product of theirs that I've tried, I've loved. It is quickly becoming one of my favourite high-end brands and this was no exception. This sample size came with my purchase of the Ambient Lighting Powder Palette and when I bought it the lovely assistant at Mecca Cosmetica slyly pointed out the free gift and told me I'd love it. Yep, she wasn't wrong. This primer is silky, radiant and beautiful and definitely gives my makeup lasting power for a long day at work and keeps my oiliness at bay as well as smoothing out my pores and general textural issues. And yes, I may have treated myself to the full size of this last week but in my defence I did have a voucher from Christmas to ease the blow to the bank account.

The luxury that is Chanel Mat Lumiere Foundation ($72AUD) This little tester is in the shade B30 which I was trialling along with B20. I have overcome my anxieties about approaching makeup counters for samples especially when I could be spending my pretty pennies on products that I end up not liking, which has happened all too often in the past! The lovely assistant at the David Jones Chanel counter helped to match me and suggested I try both B20 and B30 in natural light and see how they sat and oxidised on my skin throughout the day and wear. I thought I'd include this cute tester tube in this post purely for how adorable (and as it turned out, quite impractical) it is. Together with the Hourglass Primer, this is a winning duo and I decided to purchase the full size in shade B20 and then I can just use bronzer to warm it up when I need to.

Last but not least, Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara ($28AUD) This may seem like a gimmick and a completely unnecessary product but when you've got it, you can definitely see its necessity. I was lucky enough to pick this up at the Estee Lauder and Companies corporate store for a steal so I could justify the purchase. The minuscule wand is the perfect size for separating your bottom lashes without looking unnatural or clumpy. The formula is also non-smudging and long-wearing which is a must in order to avoid the sleepy panda look.

That's my wrap up of some recent minis that I've loved and as you've seen have influenced future purchases. These companies know how to rope you in!

Millie x

The Cult Candle | Slatkin & Co.

Candles.  They're a must. All year round.

Those three sentences could really sum up this post but I will elaborate. You may be able to tell that I'm a big fan of candles and really any other lovely aroma-making things like reed diffusers. I'm very sensitive to smells and honestly if it doesn't smell good or even pleasant; be it a bedroom, physical environment or person, I'm a little hesitant. Some people seem to only like candles in Winter but I definitely don't discriminate. I do prefer particular scents throughout the year though, so now as it's Summer here in Australia I prefer more coconutty, fresh, tropical scents whereas in the cooler months I prefer spicy, rich and warm scents to make my room feel nice and cosy. The other day my friend walked into my room and said "It literally always smells amazing in here" and that was a lovely compliment because I want my room to be a nice, inviting place where my friends can feel comfortable. This may seem a little exaggerated for some but I just really like things to smell nice, ok..

The point of this post is to express my love for Slatkin & Co. candles. The range that every YouTuber and their dog raves about in hauls and burns in the background of their videos for added 'atmosphere'. As I live in Sydney, sadly we have no Bath & Body Works where I can purchase these but I bought my first mini one in Dubai Mall on a stopover and I have been lucky enough to find some on eBay at an elevated price I'm sure. Of the few I've tried, 'Tropical Spice' is my absolute favourite which I have repurchased many times now, is described as "an exotic blend of cinnamon bark, spiced rum and Tahitian vanilla. It's amaze. It's my go-to Summer candle and it is always received well.

Slatkin & Co. candles come in various sizes and at the moment I have the largest 3-wick size of Tropical Spice and it has lasted me well over a month with regular burning. The scent is very powerful and does linger once the candle is blown out and with a suggested 40-65 hour burning time it is pretty good value for money especially if you can buy them instore in the States.  I bought a few new scents last week which have just arrived from eBay and they're Spiced Cider, Coco Lobo and of course a small back up of Tropical Spice. All smaller sizes so not sure how long they'll last but it'll be good for trialling the new scents.

What are your favourite candle/scent brands?

Millie x

Follow me on Instagram! - @beautylocale. 

The Newest MAC Additions

 Humid, Plum Dressing, Swiss Chocolate, Greensmoke

When it comes to eyeshadows, I generally prefer to spend a bit extra to get the quality that (one hopes) comes with the price tag. Don't get me wrong MUA's £4 eyeshadow palettes do have a spot in my collection and I do love their colour ranges and the quality is pretty good for its price. My favourites when it comes to mid-range eyeshadows are the usual - MAC, Inglot and Urban Decay all of which are great in their colour payoff, lasting power and extensive colour ranges. I started my MAC palette I think just over a year ago and I've slowly been building it up with thanks to many recommendations from blogs, youtube ladies and the like. As my dearest Dad was going to the UK, I thought it only right to take advantage and asked him to pick me up a few bits seeing as it is quite a bit cheaper over there. 

I narrowed my (ridiculously long) list down to a few bits but MAC eyeshadows to further fill my palette were always top of the list. I did my research well and noted down a lot of shades that I had heard or read recommendations for, googled swatches and finally narrowed it down to 4 shades - Humid, Greensmoke, Swiss Chocolate and Plum Dressing. I felt like branching out from my usual neutral shades that I always go for and thought some greens and a purple shade would be fun to experiment with. As I have green eyes, Plum Dressing should be quite complimentary as green and purple are opposite on the colour wheel and for some green tone eyeshadow may seem a bit daunting, outdated or slightly 80s but I've seen some gorgeous looks recently and I was sold! 

I have one (ONE?! How on Earth did you fill so quickly, Mr Palette??) spot left in my 15 pan palette so 
I am open to recommendations or maybe I'll just have to buy an insert..

Despite how unloved and unused they look, these shadows most definitely get a lot of attention and love. 
L-R: Soft Brown, Brule, All Races, Swiss Chocolate, Smut
2nd: All That Glitters, Woodwinked, Cranberry, Satin Taupe, Contrast
3rd: (TBC), Plum Dressing, Humid, Greensmoke, Carbon

MAC shadows retail for AUD $26 for shades in the pan or $33 for single shadows.

What are your favourite shadows- colours, brands or whatever else? 

Millie x

Follow me on instagram-  @beautylocale