Hi friends,
Welcome back to another episode of Swatches & Stuff, in which, I go over some of the products I have tried and tested in the last 30 days. This time around, it's all makeup, no skincare or "stuff".
You can watch the coordinating video on my YouTube Channel here:
1. L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation in Natural Beige - $11.08
Once in a while, I will try a new foundation. I do not really know why I would want to do that since I have been very partial to my favorite foundation (Yves Rocher True Light) for years. I have never been able to match its flawless results. Yet, as I mentioned above, once in a while I will give another brand a chance.
I picked this Infallible for its 24 hour stay-on claim as well as the matte finish. The color I chose is Natural Beige, similar to Buff, a beige with a hint of pink as it suits my skin tone better.
There are a lot of things I like about this foundation but some I do not like as well. So let do a quick pros and cons for you:
Pros: complete coverage, stays on all day (no budging, no transfer), good color match, matte finish, looks amazing on camera (I am wearing it in the video above).
Cons: too much coverage (looks pasty), makes fine lines and pores too visible, dry, not flexible (you can feel it), difficult to apply.
So, in conclusion, this is not a bad foundation, it is just too much and requires a lot of work for a flawless application. If you are using your fingers, you will have a coverage that is very thick and pasty, I would recommend that you mix it with your moisturizer in order to get a better, more fluid coverage, otherwise, use a foundation brush like the Crown Brush Syntho Series Foundation Brush which I use all the time and work your foundation in upward strokes for a better, more even coverage.
I did not completely fall in love with this, nor do I hate it. I think it looks great on camera, but in natural light and on the go, it makes fine lines and pores way to visible for me to feel comfortable, I do like the fact that it stays on all day and is similar, in that respect to the Revlon Color Stay Foundation. B.
2. L'Oreal Infallible - Pro- Matte - Pressed Powder - $11.88
I have purchased this powder at my local drugstore since there was a buy one - get one 50% off incentive. I really was not in the market for a new face powder but really wanted to see how it would work with the foundation within the same line.
I can tell you that both together is just way too much coverage for me. Think 1950s coverage!
This powder is very dense, there is zero fall-out. In that sense, it is very similar to the Lancome 'Dual Finish' Versatile Powder Makeup
(Though I did not try this one as a wet formula yet).
Because it is very dense, I recommend you apply this powder with a brush rather than the sponge applicator provided in the package.
And on that subject. I did not like the packaging at all. The top part is flushed to the powder itself (no edge or recess), it does not seem very hygienic if you are going to carry this in your purse's makeup bag. The bottom part, which houses the sponge) provides a nice size mirror though.
Overall, I thought this was okay, with a good matte finish when applied lightly, but again, when combined with the Infallible Foundation, it is way too much coverage for me, but looks good on camera. B.
3. Milani - Rose Powder Blush in Tea Rose - $12.40
There really are not too many Milani products I do not like. This is a drugstore brand, in my opinion, that rivals the high end ones each and every time I try one of their products.
This blush is no exception, I find it to be stunning all around. First, the packaging. It is a very large size, I cannot see myself EVER hitting pan on this one. It also has this beautiful rose relief effect that makes it attractive while providing even more product. The color I picked is Tea Rose, a dark rose with a hint of brick. It is completely matte, no fall-out, beautiful finish and stays on all day. What else could you ask for from a blush. Superbe! I love it! A+.
4. L'Oreal Colour Riche Eye Shadow Quad in Stacked Heels - $6.39
This eye shadow quad comes in a total of 20 different shade combinations. Here is something to be excited about when you want variety!
However, while I think it looks great on my eyes and received loads of complements in the coordinating video above, I am very disapointed with this quad. And here is why:
First, the packaging is ridiculous, no one is going to use shadow that is packed in those tiny little corners, you will hit pan in the middle, where there is the most product and more than likely will toss the whole thing, shortly after. The pans themselves are also not very well secured and one of them is actually ready to fall out. In other words, this is cheap packaging, and nothing like the Infallible line from the same brand (I recommend those).
Second, and while the colors are beautiful when swatched on your hand, they do not translate at all on your lids, in fact, they blend in so much that you cannot tell there is a gradient or a transition going on, aside from the two opposite colors, namely the white shimmer and the darkest purple in the quad. In the Video, I swatched them on my hand, they looked gorgeous and then blended them completely with just one stroke. Eye shadow should not do that, in my opinion, I need to have contrast between colors, if I wanted one color, I would buy single shadows, not quads.
Further, there is way too much fall-out and the stuff will not stay on at all, regardless of my using a primer.
In conclusion, if you are going out and want a pop of color, but do not care about eye effects and longevity, you may want to get this one, there are a lot of colors to chose from and it's cheap (It my be a consideration for a teenage girl who wants to start playing with makeup without breaking your bank). But for that price, do not expect high end results! D-.
5. Clinique - High Impact Lip Colour - Extreme Pink
- $16.00
I am not a huge fan of Clinique but I do love their lipsticks. I wanted a replacement for my favorite one (which I had to toss after 12 years) their Butter Shine in Raspberry Rush.
Since my Department Store was out, I opted for the Long Last Shine in Berry Freeze. Which in itself is interesting because I do not care for frosted/shimmery lipsticks.
However, this one is simply beautiful and translates wonderfully on camera. It is not something I would wear all day long but definitely at an event or on camera and when I know pictures will be taken as it provides glow and volume to my lips. The color is also beautiful a mauve that is not too violet nor too dark for my skin tone. I like it a lot. A.
6. Sally Hansen - Diamond Strength Nail Polish in Royal Romance - $2.18 to $6.99 (on Amazon)
This is part of an old line of polishes from Sally Hansen but it is still available in certain drugstore (definitely online).
The no-chip nail color claim is no joke, this nail polish does not budge, at worst it might start peeling as an entire layer, but that may be after 5 days and if I did not prep my base properly. The color itself is just gorgeous (okay, okay, I am bias towards purple). It is a dark orchid with a shimmer of gold. But unlike most shimmers, this one is subtle so it gives this beautiful dimension to your nails without feeling overpowering. I am loving this one and will probably will seek other colors within the same line. A.
7. Orly - Nail Defense - base and top Coat Strengthener - $6.95
I have purchased this alongside the Nail Tek Plus treatment because my nails became very damaged. I made the mistake, having cut them short, to apply the ImPress - Press - On Nails! And what a mistake that was! While my nails looked fabulous for a few days, the claim that they do not damage your nails is totally bogus! They started peeling on the side, and curving in all directions, so I had to remove them using the polish remover on the sides, as per their recommendation on the package. Well, long story short, they still peeled off layers of my nails, making them even more brittle and prone to breakage. I will never do that again!
Having run out of my Essie Millionail, I opted for this Orly Nail Defense instead. It is a base coat treatment with proteins, as well as a topcoat.
You can also use it alone and apply every other day.
So far so good and I think it works well with the Nail Tek Plus. It's fluid and has a wide brush. It also does not look as far as I can tell as a polish that will harden and get all goopy over time. B+.
8. Revlon - Color Stay Gel Envy - Base + Color Nail Polish in Up the Ante (Purple) and Royal Flush (Hot Pink) - $6.49
Here is something interesting about these nail polishes. About two years ago, I had purchased a Revlon Color Stay in a sand color and thought it was just awful. Terrible application, zero stay on, would crackle etc. By far the worst I had ever tried. Because everything is about the gel formula these days, Revlon got on the bandwagon and came up with this new line of Colorstay called Gel Envy.
There is a world of difference between their previous attempt ad this one.
The Gel Envy formula is jsut the right onsistency, it is not too fluid nor is it too goopy that you have to hurry up and apply before making a mess.
The brush is wide enough and the stay on is great. I wore each for over 5 days in a row with very little chipping peeling. In fact, and if anything, they stayed put only to start receding at the top, if that make sense, after 5 days. These are very good. Unfortunately for me, the two showcased here are probably the only two colors I would purchase from the line. A.
I hope you have enjoyed this review, you can watch all my other Swatch & Stuff videos on my YouTube Channel here.
Thank you so much for reading my blog and watching my YouTube videos! Share the love!Welcome back to another episode of Swatches & Stuff, in which, I go over some of the products I have tried and tested in the last 30 days. This time around, it's all makeup, no skincare or "stuff".
You can watch the coordinating video on my YouTube Channel here:
 |
| Swatches & Stuff - March 2015 |
1. L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation in Natural Beige - $11.08
 |
| Infallible Pro-Matte |
I picked this Infallible for its 24 hour stay-on claim as well as the matte finish. The color I chose is Natural Beige, similar to Buff, a beige with a hint of pink as it suits my skin tone better.
There are a lot of things I like about this foundation but some I do not like as well. So let do a quick pros and cons for you:
Pros: complete coverage, stays on all day (no budging, no transfer), good color match, matte finish, looks amazing on camera (I am wearing it in the video above).
Cons: too much coverage (looks pasty), makes fine lines and pores too visible, dry, not flexible (you can feel it), difficult to apply.
So, in conclusion, this is not a bad foundation, it is just too much and requires a lot of work for a flawless application. If you are using your fingers, you will have a coverage that is very thick and pasty, I would recommend that you mix it with your moisturizer in order to get a better, more fluid coverage, otherwise, use a foundation brush like the Crown Brush Syntho Series Foundation Brush which I use all the time and work your foundation in upward strokes for a better, more even coverage.
I did not completely fall in love with this, nor do I hate it. I think it looks great on camera, but in natural light and on the go, it makes fine lines and pores way to visible for me to feel comfortable, I do like the fact that it stays on all day and is similar, in that respect to the Revlon Color Stay Foundation. B.
2. L'Oreal Infallible - Pro- Matte - Pressed Powder - $11.88
 |
| L'Oreal - Infallible Pressed Powder |
I can tell you that both together is just way too much coverage for me. Think 1950s coverage!
This powder is very dense, there is zero fall-out. In that sense, it is very similar to the Lancome 'Dual Finish' Versatile Powder Makeup
(Though I did not try this one as a wet formula yet).Because it is very dense, I recommend you apply this powder with a brush rather than the sponge applicator provided in the package.
And on that subject. I did not like the packaging at all. The top part is flushed to the powder itself (no edge or recess), it does not seem very hygienic if you are going to carry this in your purse's makeup bag. The bottom part, which houses the sponge) provides a nice size mirror though.
Overall, I thought this was okay, with a good matte finish when applied lightly, but again, when combined with the Infallible Foundation, it is way too much coverage for me, but looks good on camera. B.
3. Milani - Rose Powder Blush in Tea Rose - $12.40
 |
| Milani Rose Powder Blush |
This blush is no exception, I find it to be stunning all around. First, the packaging. It is a very large size, I cannot see myself EVER hitting pan on this one. It also has this beautiful rose relief effect that makes it attractive while providing even more product. The color I picked is Tea Rose, a dark rose with a hint of brick. It is completely matte, no fall-out, beautiful finish and stays on all day. What else could you ask for from a blush. Superbe! I love it! A+.
4. L'Oreal Colour Riche Eye Shadow Quad in Stacked Heels - $6.39
 |
| L'Oreal Colour Riche Eye Shadow |
However, while I think it looks great on my eyes and received loads of complements in the coordinating video above, I am very disapointed with this quad. And here is why:
First, the packaging is ridiculous, no one is going to use shadow that is packed in those tiny little corners, you will hit pan in the middle, where there is the most product and more than likely will toss the whole thing, shortly after. The pans themselves are also not very well secured and one of them is actually ready to fall out. In other words, this is cheap packaging, and nothing like the Infallible line from the same brand (I recommend those).
Second, and while the colors are beautiful when swatched on your hand, they do not translate at all on your lids, in fact, they blend in so much that you cannot tell there is a gradient or a transition going on, aside from the two opposite colors, namely the white shimmer and the darkest purple in the quad. In the Video, I swatched them on my hand, they looked gorgeous and then blended them completely with just one stroke. Eye shadow should not do that, in my opinion, I need to have contrast between colors, if I wanted one color, I would buy single shadows, not quads.
Further, there is way too much fall-out and the stuff will not stay on at all, regardless of my using a primer.
In conclusion, if you are going out and want a pop of color, but do not care about eye effects and longevity, you may want to get this one, there are a lot of colors to chose from and it's cheap (It my be a consideration for a teenage girl who wants to start playing with makeup without breaking your bank). But for that price, do not expect high end results! D-.
5. Clinique - High Impact Lip Colour - Extreme Pink
- $16.00 |
| Clinique - High Impact Lip Colour - Extreme Pink |
but I do love their lipsticks. I wanted a replacement for my favorite one (which I had to toss after 12 years) their Butter Shine in Raspberry Rush.Since my Department Store was out, I opted for the Long Last Shine in Berry Freeze. Which in itself is interesting because I do not care for frosted/shimmery lipsticks.
However, this one is simply beautiful and translates wonderfully on camera. It is not something I would wear all day long but definitely at an event or on camera and when I know pictures will be taken as it provides glow and volume to my lips. The color is also beautiful a mauve that is not too violet nor too dark for my skin tone. I like it a lot. A.
6. Sally Hansen - Diamond Strength Nail Polish in Royal Romance - $2.18 to $6.99 (on Amazon)
 |
| Diamond Strength in Royal Romance |
The no-chip nail color claim is no joke, this nail polish does not budge, at worst it might start peeling as an entire layer, but that may be after 5 days and if I did not prep my base properly. The color itself is just gorgeous (okay, okay, I am bias towards purple). It is a dark orchid with a shimmer of gold. But unlike most shimmers, this one is subtle so it gives this beautiful dimension to your nails without feeling overpowering. I am loving this one and will probably will seek other colors within the same line. A.
7. Orly - Nail Defense - base and top Coat Strengthener - $6.95
 |
| Orly - Nail Defense |
I have purchased this alongside the Nail Tek Plus treatment because my nails became very damaged. I made the mistake, having cut them short, to apply the ImPress - Press - On Nails! And what a mistake that was! While my nails looked fabulous for a few days, the claim that they do not damage your nails is totally bogus! They started peeling on the side, and curving in all directions, so I had to remove them using the polish remover on the sides, as per their recommendation on the package. Well, long story short, they still peeled off layers of my nails, making them even more brittle and prone to breakage. I will never do that again!
Having run out of my Essie Millionail, I opted for this Orly Nail Defense instead. It is a base coat treatment with proteins, as well as a topcoat.
You can also use it alone and apply every other day.
So far so good and I think it works well with the Nail Tek Plus. It's fluid and has a wide brush. It also does not look as far as I can tell as a polish that will harden and get all goopy over time. B+.
8. Revlon - Color Stay Gel Envy - Base + Color Nail Polish in Up the Ante (Purple) and Royal Flush (Hot Pink) - $6.49
 |
| Royal Flush |
 |
| Up the Ante |
There is a world of difference between their previous attempt ad this one.
The Gel Envy formula is jsut the right onsistency, it is not too fluid nor is it too goopy that you have to hurry up and apply before making a mess.
The brush is wide enough and the stay on is great. I wore each for over 5 days in a row with very little chipping peeling. In fact, and if anything, they stayed put only to start receding at the top, if that make sense, after 5 days. These are very good. Unfortunately for me, the two showcased here are probably the only two colors I would purchase from the line. A.
I hope you have enjoyed this review, you can watch all my other Swatch & Stuff videos on my YouTube Channel here.
Sophia, NJ
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