Finally I am pretty much done with all my assignments for University, and the semester is coming to a close. That means I finally have the time to review my HG Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 foundation now ;)
As mentioned in my post here, this is my first foray into the world of Chanel. Usually I tend to "avoid" such high-end brands because they're quite intimidating to me- the SAs are always quite immaculately polished and their ranges looks very uptown and classy... not to mention potentially pricey. But I finally braved the Chanel store at 1 Utama.
I entered the shop with an intention to mainly browse at the foundations and the intriguing makeup range and perhaps ask a few questions. The SA that attended me was quite nice. Quite elderly, and definitely knows her stuff. For some reason I am more comfortable with more "elderly" SAs because I feel/think they have more experience, and the reason I chose the Chanel store instead of a counter is because I personally feel that the SAs there would also be more experienced and know about their products more compared to department stores such as Jusco and Metrojaya. Just a personal opinion, though and doesn't necessarily apply to all SAs :P There are some young, department store SAs that are really nice, like the one at the Shiseido counter at Jusco in 1 Utama.
I came out with this. To be honest I was actually looking for Chanel Teint Controle Extreme Extreme UV Protection Control Powder Foundation SPF25, but according to the SA it's already being discontinued and those that are available in the counters at department stores are the last stocks. I was looking at foundations from Chanel mainly because I felt that my Shiseido The Makeup Supplist Poreless Foundation shade wasn't a good match for me. Their shades were either too light or too dark for my (now) tanned skin sadly :( I decided to give Chanel a look-see and maybe try instead, and I'm glad I did!
According to the official Chanel website, there are 11 shades (As shown above, I took a screenshot), but here in Malaysia we only get 5 if I'm not mistaken- 10 Lumiere, 30 Aurore, 40 Sable, 50 Poudre and 60 Secret. I was matched with 30 Aurore, which is actually more brown-based but is the second lightest shade in the spectrum. The yellow-based foundations are 40 Sable and 50 Poudre but are actually darker than 30 Aurore. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about the shade- will it match?
When I first applied it on my own the next day after my cleansing regime and prepping my face for makeup, I actually panicked a little because it went on quite light and was worried that I might have to get a shade darker. However, I learned not to be shocked because after a while the foundation actually BLENDS into your skin and matches with your skin tone! Amazing! It really impressed me. Coverage wise it's not as thick as Shiseido The Makeup Supplist Poreless Foundation, but it's buildable. I love Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 because it actually makes my skin look flawlessly matte without looking too thick, cakey or dull, but instead radiant and naturally glowy! And it lasts for quite some time too, I had it on past 12 hours and it still looks good, although I needed to blot once or twice within that time span.
The embossed interlocking "Cs" in the foundation also looks very good, and to be honest, I really dislike foundations/powders that have embossed patterns on them, because I can't bear to run over it :( I've been using the Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 since I bought it, and the interlocking "Cs" have sunk in a little now, but it's still obvious. I've not used the sponge provided because I'm using my QVS Rubicell Foundation Sponge but it does feel nice and of good quality.
The packaging is pure luxury. The compact case is flatter and larger than Shiseido The Makeup Supplist Poreless Foundation, with its signature black and the white interlocking "Cs" embossed on it, and the mirror is huge! The feel of the compact case is nice, steady and light, but the hinges feel a bit fragile to me though. Overall the packaging to me just screams out decadence in true Chanel style. It even comes with its own velvet pouch as pictured! If that's not luxurious, I don't know what is :P The compact case smudges though (As seen in first photo), but that's nothing a good wipe won't fix.
The whole set costs RM 175, which actually works out to be slightly cheaper than Shiseido The Makeup Supplist Poreless Foundation, which totals to be RM 177, RM 2 more :P The refill for Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 is priced at RM 115 whilst the refill for Shiseido The Makeup Supplist Poreless Foundation costs RM 129. That, and Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 actually has 3g more of foundation. Yes, I checked and compared that.
My only gripe with the Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 is that it has only SPF10! Shiseido The Makeup Supplist Poreless Foundation has SPF25. And since I have to walk under the sun quite often for University, I needed more sun protection :( The other gripe I have with it is that the foundation cake might be too small for normal foundation sponges. As mentioned I am not using the sponge provided, so some foundation might smear on the sides of the cake and needs to be wiped off. But that's not a big problem to me :P
To combat the SPF problem I have gotten Dermalogica Super Sensitive Faceblock SPF30, but that's another review for another day...
Just finished my individual assignment and now I only have one more group assignment to do for the semester- which is not hard, I think I can finish it tomorrow :P Then I can resume with my review on Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 :D
Maybe it's my fatigue talking, and I've mentioned this before... but I feel incredibly lost and insignificant in the sea of better beauty bloggers.
Are my reviews too boring? Hmm... I don't know. I write as I think and/or feel. Maybe it's the lack of stuff I write about? I'm not particularly THAT adventurous when it comes to makeup (And my skin would take its revenge on me for the torture), but I sure am passionate about it. And skincare. Which is why I started this anyway. Oh well :P Readership (And friendship with other beauty bloggers) will increase hopefully in time to come- slowly but surely.
So for now I'll have to be patient.
At this rate I'm writing... I won't be able to review Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 anytime soon! :P Not that I'm complaining- at least it keeps me (And this blog) active :P
When I came home today (From watching Quantum Of Solace with my sweetheart at GSC in 1 Utama), this envelope was waiting for me.
Look at where and who it's from! :D I placed an order on the 9th November 2008, so it took 9 days to reach me o.O I'm surprised it arrived in one piece and intact (And so quickly too, to be honest), considering my past (bad) experience with the postal service, especially when dealing with international mail.
So anyway, a little background: In a way I got introduced to Anne Dundas Jewelery through My Women Stuff and recently they were having a sale. I found that out while reading the post here, so I decided to take a look... and I was sold. The designs were all very pretty, and I'm a sucker for handmade items, especially with lampwork beads that nice! I saw a lot of things I wanted, and believe me, I had to exercise a lot of self-control to not break my PayPal account, which I also use to pay for hosting for my personal blog.
I settled on a phone charm as I wanted something to spice up and personalise my otherwise ordinary-looking PDA phone. I really wanted to get a keychain (I have my eye on this) or a suncatcher, but refer to my point about not breaking my PayPal account :P
The envelope- opened, and the contents are such. An invoice with a name card inside, and the packaging itself- tissue, wrapping paper and ribbon. Very luxurious and decadent-looking packaging. I love nice packagings like this- it's impressive and they make me feel good and warm inside :) A perk of shopping online from these "small" shops is that you get personalised services like this, and it's these little touches that truly pulls in buyers in my opinion. As I read somewhere on the site the products are all "packaged to give", meaning that once you receive it you can immediately give it to someone as a gift (If that's your intention), and with packaging like this, it truly is possible! I was very careful to remove them, and the packaging is still intact :P
*Open open open*
And voila! Aforementioned phone charm, named Oriental Cherry Blossom. It's one of the lampwork beads created by Anne Dundas herself and converted into a phone charm, which is really pretty :D It was a toss-up between this and this, but I preferred a black strap since it would match my PDA phone, so yeah.
Gently (Again) I removed the packaging and extricated the phone charm. Surprisingly, the bead was matte-ish in texture and surface, unlike most beads I'm accustomed to seeing which are normally glossy and shiny. I can feel the real handiwork of the bead- it seems to have a depression on one side like a finger pressed on it or something, which makes it unique and truly handmade. The swirls and flowers on it look delicate and pretty and lends a special charm (Pun not intended :P) to the bead. It's a very simple phone charm to be honest, but it's this simplicity that makes it special, and I believe the bead itself makes a statement on its own.
Another shot of the phone charm. The total I spent? It was during the sales period, so I got it for half price. Including shipping, it cost me AUD 9.95, which is not a lot (Yet not little at the same time), but I can say is pretty well spent considering it's a one-of-a-kind item and uniquely handmade! :3
I really like this pendant, for one. It looks elvish to me. Too bad my birthday is way over :( I'm also thinking of perhaps getting this for my sweetheart's impending new phone, but perhaps I'll wait for another sale >_>
So much for trying to control my expenditure >_> But it's money quite well-spent (Since I needed and wanted them anyway), and come to think of it I could have actually spent more but resisted the temptation! Yay me! I went to MidValley Megamall with my sweetheart with intentions to window shop and price check (Mainly on makeup bases/primers) actually. I still can't decide which to get, so I guess I'll stick with my Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie in the meantime until it runs out :P
So these are what I got: The Body Shop Loose Face Powder in 01 and Origins Smileage Plus Liptint in 03 Eco-Pink. The Body Shop Loose Face Powder is RM 55 whilst the Origins Smileage Plus Liptint is RM 40 (At Origins in The Gardens MidValley).
I would call this a cheaper version of the Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder. I wanted to play Shop In My Stash by My Women Stuff, but I was a bit too late. I only dug up an old, 95% used up jar of The Body Shop Loose Face Powder a few days back and started using it (Until it ran out), and it's replacing my Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder :P Hence buying a new jar. It's in 01- a more yellow-based powder. The SA (A guy named Man who was actually quite nice) was patient enough to answer my questions regarding the colouring of the loose powders. 02 is pink-based and 03 is brown-based basically. I went for yellow-based since it would match the skin colour of my neck, which is more yellow-ish compared to my arms, which are brown-ish. See, this is the problem with being a tanned Chinese :( I'm somewhere in between yellow/brown/pink, which is why getting a foundation match is so hard for me. I'd better keep tanned though, because I don't want to be getting a new lighter foundation shade XD
The Body Shop Loose Face Powder is actually my very first foray into makeup- I used to use no foundation at all (And had no prior experience in using one), I just dusted the powder over my face with my Everyday Minerals kabuki brush (I still do now, although after my Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 foundation). Then I craved more makeup products and wanted to experiment more (The main reason I recall was due to SPF, which The Body Shop Loose Face Powder lacked), and the rest, they say, is history :P
I'm glad I found this old gem back though- I think I put it aside when my compact foundations entered the scene. It's quite finely textured, makes my skin feel smooth and most of all, actually lasted longer than my Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder in terms of oil control and lasting power. Coverage wise it's pretty buildable, just like the Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder. They're both also loose powder, after all. And in my opinion, The Body Shop Loose Face Powder is also less "messier" than the Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder- less spillage around the mouth of the jar/lid/table occurs when you're trying to get new powder up on top and opened it. For some reason my Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder always "overflows", which is a problem during transportation/traveling and can get quite frustrating because it's wastage. This is the case where cheaper is definitely better for me. The Body Shop Loose Face Powder is half the size of the Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder, but costs cheaper (2 jars of The Body Shop Loose Face Powder is RM 110 = 1 jar of Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder @ RM 120) and works the same if not better.
Another thing I've always wanted and managed to buy is the Origins Smileage Plus Liptint :D It's actually more of an impulse buy- I wanted some colour on my lips since I never did play with my lips unless I had my makeup done professionally. I normally emphasise my eyes (I love eyeliner especially), so this is a step towards experimenting with lip colours I guess :P I love the packaging and how slim the whole thing is, which makes it easy to apply on my lips. The colour is actually incredibly sheer though (So swatching is incredibly hard, so sorry, no swatches), but it makes my lips look healthier and enhances the colour of my lips, not to mention moisturises!
How it looks on my lips. I like how it's non-sticky- and doesn't have a very noticeable smell and/or taste. The initial scent reminds me of something for sure, but I just can't put a finger to it. I tried Benefit Cosmetics California Kissin' too, but it was RM 93 and I couldn't bring myself to buy it. It's quite nice, minty and cooling, but has sparkles in it, which I don't really like personally :P The Origins Smileage Plus Liptint leaves a nice, very light, subtle stain on the lips and if you kiss something (Or someone :P) hard enough you leave a little mark, but not as obvious as lipstick does.
M.A.C disappointed me with its Viva Glam lipsticks and the Passionately Red/Viva Glam lip palettes :| The palettes look awesome in photo and on the site, but in reality it actually looks a bit... cheap in my opinion. Not as classy as I expected. They're for charity (Which is why I even looked at it in the first place), but for RM 63 a lipstick and RM 115 a palette, I couldn't really bring myself to get it either.
The colours also didn't really match me and the SA was a bit meh. Sure, she assisted me, but either she didn't hear me or she ignored my request of recommending what lip colours would suit me (I was totally picking the wrong colours!), but I'm also a total klutz when it comes to applying lipstick and she didn't help me at all. She looked lost in her own world or gave me the impression that she's bored or something. Now I see why some people boycott M.A.C! It's too bad, since previously I had a good experience with the SA that assisted me when I bought their Brush Cleanser and I didn't think of them as pushy. Turns out that they ARE non-pushy, they just don't seem to care :P
As mentioned in my previous post, I've gotten my hands on some stuff from Majolica Majorca. Mainly because they were cheap and quite tempting. Normally I'm not a fan of such "princess"-y stuff, but I decided to give them a try since they're an offshoot brand of Shiseido The Makeup :P
So I will be reviewing the stuff I got- Majolica Majorca Pressed Fantasia 24H powder and Skin Lingerie makeup base.
The refill cake + sponge on the left (RM 57.80 for the whole set, I regret to say that I don't remember the individual prices as I've misplaced the receipt) and the case on the right. It looks very fancy, being Majolica Majorca, but I personally think that the Skin Remaker case looks nicer with it's gold and filigree detail.
The insides, once removed from the box and set up (A really easy process of course) :P The sponge, instead of a normal latex (Or latex-like material) sponge like that of normal pressed powders/foundations, is velvety. The sponge case is just a piece of plastic tray (As pictured) placed on top of the powder, which I find quite cumbersome since you'll have to remove the plastic tray (And sponge) to get to the cake. Not to mention that the plastic tray touches the cake, so you can't simply put it anywhere- it would be rather unhygienic. Imagine touching up outside in a public toilet! Where are you going to put the tray? D: I suppose Majolica Majorca could somehow improve on that- I was actually expecting it to be like individual flip-top cases for the sponge and the cake, seeing the size of the compact.
The powder looks really light, but in fact it goes on translucent. I don't get why cosmetics company like embossing things onto their powder- it pains my heart to swirl the brush/sponge on it and see the patterns disappear :( I've applied the powder with the provided sponge and with my Everyday Minerals kabuki brush- both give almost the same results. The powder is also actually quite finely milled and makes my skin feel soft. It sets my foundation, but oil-control wise and lasting power wise it loses when compared to my Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder. My face started to show traces of shine and oiliness in a shorter period of time. So yeah, it's not replacing my Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder as HG item.
However, being a loose powder (And quite big), traveling with the Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder might be troublesome, so I guess Majolica Majorca Pressed Fantasia 24H will be useful if I travel. The case isn't exactly that small though (As pictured), but since it's also pressed powder, it will still be handier to lug around :P
Next up is Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie OD Control- a makeup base. I've stopped using the Silk Naturals Oil Control Primer after I've stopped using mineral makeup (Details about it here), so I'm on a lookout for a foundation primer as I find that it does help makeup last longer and look more radiant, glowy and natural. And at RM 39.90, it is quite affordable- which is mainly a reason why I got it in the first place.
It's texture is more to gel than cream, which is good since I prefer a gel-like consistency. BB creams for instant makes my makeup melt after a few hours, so I'm a bit concerned about that. It doesn't offer any colour correction, nor does it really minimises pores once applied onto skin on its own- but it does make makeup glide on more smoothly (And makeup application is much more easier) and enhances the pore concealing properties of the foundation, meaning that once I apply foundation it covers up my pores better compared to applying foundation just on bare, moisturised skin.
However, my skin looks more even after applying the Skin Lingerie alone- in a sense that there's no shiny-looking T-zone or dry-looking cheeks, just a smooth, even canvas for foundation. I guess that's the meaning of the OD Control- oily/dry control :P Skin feels soft and makeup does last longer than without it, and looks more natural. Normally I'm quite aversive to the whole "glowy, radiant" look as most of the time they make me look more oily and highlights my flaws (Mainly enlarged pores) instead, but with Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie that doesn't happen and my skin looks healthy, and I'm quite satisfied and a happy camper ;) I do need to blot my nose occasionally, but instead of blotting, for example, after 4 hours I need to blot around 6 hours instead.
However, I'm still on the lookout for more makeup bases/primers for comparison. I'm currently having my eye on Shu Uemura UV Underbase Mousse, The Body Shop's Matte It Face And Lips, Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, Shiseido The Makeup Pre-Makeup Cream and even Chanel Base Lumiere Long Lasting Makeup Base, but as mentioned I'm currently trying to control my expenditure T.T Maybe I'll get one once I finish the Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie... but for now I'll do some research on which is better :P
Next up, I will be reviewing the Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10 :) I'm really digging the foundation.
I've been a bad, bad blogger, but oh well... readership is few so it doesn't really matter :P I've been primarily busy with assignments (It's almost the end of the semester) and with my personal life (Trying to get a part-time job, etc.), which explains the lack of updates. Anyway, these are the few things I've gotten since the last update, and are on my list of "to review" (And with a summary) :D
Majolica Majorca Pressed Fantasia 24H- Pressed powder, mainly to set foundation. Alright for traveling purposes but not good enough to topple my Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder as HG item.
Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie- Makeup base/primer. I like, but I'm still on the lookout for a better one :x
Chanel Mat Lumiere Luminous Matte Powder Makeup SPF10- My first ever purchase from Chanel and my new HG foundation! Forgive the smudges >_>
I've been trying very hard to keep my expenditure under control, which explains the lack of new stuff I've been buying.
I also got a new handbag from Borsalino from House Of Leather as a gift :D Which is about time I got a new handbag, since my Guess Osaka Top-Zip handbag needs cleaning (I've sent it to the dry cleaners), being cloth and PVC and metal. Mum was also right in that once you get a nice, proper, branded bag, you'd tend to want more, but in my case it's justified by needing a spare handbag :P
It's almost the same size as my Guess Osaka Top-Zip handbag, but instead of black and white like the Guess Osaka Top-Zip handbag, this is white and gold. It was a surprise gift anyway, so I didn't have a choice :P It's a nice colour combination though, but of course being white it can and will get dirty. Thankfully it's leather (Wrinkly matte leather) so it's easier to clean!
A closeup of the tag. According to the tag it costed half the price of my Guess Osaka Top-Zip handbag, but it doesn't really matter since it's a very nice quality bag.
An attempt to take a shot of the interior. The zip is wider in comparison to my Guess Osaka Top-Zip handbag (But that also means that I can't leave it unzipped or the contents will be liable to fall out) and the interior is quote roomy. The inside is also just like the Guess Osaka Top-Zip handbag- a zipped compartment, a cell phone compartment (Which I use to keep my Coach Hamptons Signature Mini Skinny wallet) and pocket compartment.
Overall, I like it- it's leather, easy to clean and the same size and all as my beloved Guess Osaka Top-Zip handbag. The cons are just that it will get dirty easier and I can't leave it unzipped, and oh, I'm not too fond of such handles as they slip off easily and it annoys me. I won't be replacing my Guess Osaka Top-Zip hand though- I'd just be swapping around :P
