NATURACTOR FOUNDATION
A few days ago, I impulsively grabbed one of these Naturactor Foundation. I've never tried a foundation cream before so I was very curious to find out if this could become a new favorite.
Packaging
- I consider the packaging rather compact. It's small and light-weight, which is rather convenient for traveling.
- I feel that the cap can potentially become loose over time. I haven't had it long enough to confirm that it will happen but based on my observation it looks a little flimsy.
- I really love how white the container is.
- It looks so clean and expensive.
Product
There are 5 different shades to choose from and I did have a bit of a hard time figuring out which one would be the best match for my skin tone so I grabbed 130.
I find it to be a bit too cool and slightly lighter than I would prefer for my skin tone but once blended the shade actually worked. It does make me look flat and pale but I don't mind it much since I can easily fix that with contouring and blush.
The texture of the foundation is quite emollient and feels like powder. It blends easily and I feel like it doesn't really absorbs into my skin but kinda just sit on top of it, which helps smooth out pores.
I apply it with my fingertips unto my face and then use a brush to blend and buff the foundation with my skin. It feels very light and can give you light to medium coverage.
It does a very good job at evening out my skin tone, blur my freckles, and minimize the appearance of small scars. I'm quite pale and I've been breaking out one pimple after another so my skin is in bad shape. Those little acne scars are going to take some time to go away.
Once blended it give a soft powdered and almost matte finish. I guess it's more like a satin finish.
I found that the foundation lasted fairly well on me. It held up to 9 hours before I start noticing signs of fading. It also does a very good job at controlling shine from my T-zone, which I'm pretty happy about.
Final Thought
The amount of product isn't much and if used daily, you can certainly go through it quicker than your average liquid foundation. Overall, I do like though. I don't really need to set it with a powder since it seems to go from cream to powder finish. It offers decent coverage, does an excellent job at keeping the shine at bay, and last through most of my day.
Rating
9.5/10
Availability
www.naturactorfoundation.com
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette: Review & Swatches
I very rarely buy anything on a whim, including make-up, but all logic flew out the window when I realised the much anticipated Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette was available online and moments after a quick Google of swatches I’d checked out at Space NK online (thank you beauty bloggers everywhere - and Sarah of Saloule for posting a pic of hers on Instagram!).
I’m so happy to say that this product turned out to be even more beautiful than anticipated and I’ve loved using it daily since it arrived. I’ve been wanting to try Hourglass products for a while after drooling over them in Space NK and other blogs and almost bought the Dim Light Ambient Powder a few months ago but it was out of stock. This limited edition trio includes two existing shades (Dim Light and Radiant Light) and one new limited edition shade (Incandescent Light). Also included with the palette is a 5ml-size Veil Mineral Primer, which I haven’t got around to trying yet.
Soft Focus
So what’s it for? Essentially finishing powders, each Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder has a slightly different function, but what they all have in common is the ability to create a slightly soft focus, lit from within effect on the skin.
“…diffuse and soften the way light is reflected on skin, brighten the appearance, and conceal imperfections, pores and wrinkles. Unlike traditional powders that use opaque pigments, Ambient utilises "photoluminescent technology"-micron-size, soft-focus particles that refract light and create transparent coverage.”
I’ve never been a huge fan of powders and find many of them make skin look rather flat and lifeless, which is the antithesis of what I try to achieve with make-up and definitely not a good look for me. Thankfully these have the opposite effect - softening, removing any slight shine and yet simultaneously introducing light to the skin.
I’ve included this image taken in natural light as the top pic was in direct sunlight and makes the powders look particularly golden, which they can do, but it can be so confusing looking at images online - so I wanted to make it clear that these do change slightly in different lights (like most make-up).
How I used each shade
I’ve been using all three at once; they all have a unique effect and are multifunctional, so why not! Once I’ve finished applying foundation and concealer I sweep Dim Light all over my face - this neutral, beige toned powder has an overall softening and slight mattifying (but not flattening) effect. It’s so finely milled that it’s almost impossible to overdo.
I then add Radiant Light to contour and add a little warmth across cheekbones, temples and at the top of my forehead (a contouring trick I recently discovered from Nic Pixiwoo, only necessary for fellow massive-foreheaded gals!). Radiant is very golden in tone and has the effect of warming the complexion, almost functioning as a light Winter bronzer on my skin tone. It does have a slight sheen, but nowhere near as much as you’d expect considering how it looks in the pan - it’s not glittery and completely daytime friendly. It is yellow based, which is good for counteracting redness, but I do need to use it sparingly to avoid looking slightly jaundiced! This probably would not be an issue on deeper skins.
I normally add a little pink blush on the apples of my cheeks at this point and am currently loving Chantecaille Poudre de Perle in Akoya. I then finish off with Incandescent Light as a highlight on cheekbones and brow bones. This light champagne shade is the most shimmery of the three and best used sparingly, but still doesn’t add glitter or sparkle - it really does just make the high points glow.
The palette is light and slim, but contains what appears to be a generous amount of product, which I imagine will last me for a long time. (It also tones in quite well with today’s new mani - Dusk til Dawn by SensatioNail!)
Swatches
Above: Radiant, Incandescent and Dim. This is a light swatch from each, which shows just how little is needed - literally one sweep of each is enough for my use and the texture is dreamily buttery soft with little if any fallout.
I think you can see above how neutral Dim Light is, making it suitable for allover use, while Incandescent is more pearlescent and Radiant, light golden bronze. Of course when blended out the colours and effect are much more subtle.
Beyonce Heat Mrs Carter World Tour Fragrance: Review
First of all, let me introduce myself :) My name is Sandra and I am a beauty obsessed mum behind The Black Pearl Blog. I write about makeup, skincare, home decor and lifestyle and I am obsessed with photography. When Nic asked me, if I would like to guest post on her lovely blog and review the new Beyonce EDP, I couldn't say no. I really like the original Heat EDP I got for Christmas 2011, so I was very excited to try the new version.
The Limited Edition Beyonce Heat The Mrs Carter Show World Tour Fragrance (very long name!) was released to celebrate Beyonce's historic tour and treat her fans to a brand new scent just in time for Christmas. I must admit - celebrities don't really excite me, but... I don't mind using their fragrances, because they are usually more affordable than other perfumes and often unique. I was pleasantly surprised with the original Heat EDP and it's sweet and spicy notes, so I expected to like the new lighter, floral version too.
Beyonce Heat The Mrs Carter Show World Tour Fragrance comes is the same gorgeous packaging as the original, but this time the bottle is a beautiful aqua blue colour, which I prefer. The 30ml bottle retails at £14.99, but... you can currently buy the 100ml bottle from Superdrug for only £19.00 (here)! Bargain!
The fragrance itself is described as a powdery and sweet aquatic floral, featuring top notes of Pink Pepper, Acai and Purple Mangosteen; middle notes of: Orchid, Jasmine and Violet Petals and bottom notes of Vetiver, Sandalwood and Vanilla. If you like fruity floral scents, you will probably enjoy using Beyonce's new creation. It isn't an overpowering fragrance and it is lighter than the original, but it lingers on my skin all day and settles to a sweet and woody scent after a couple of hours. Gorgeous!
Overall the Limited Edition Beyonce Heat The Mrs Carter Show World Tour Fragrance would be a great present this Christmas, especially if you buy the 100ml bottle at a discounted price. You can buy it from Boots, Superdrug, The Perfume Shop and other stockists.
Thanks so much for such a beautiful post, Sandra, with gorgeous pics as always. Those of you yet to become acquainted with The Black Pearl Blog, do head over for a visit - it's a beauty! Nic X
In my Shower
This is the first of a new ‘In My Shower’ series, where I’ll feature my current hair & body loves. I hereby reserve the right to switch it to In My Bath as we progress into Winter (& my bath tap gets fixed - it currently flies off and whooshes water everywhere… think hot water, home alone, stopcock behind Christmas tree in dark corner of attic. I may have been a little flustered!)
Back to lovely pampering products, which is what this is all about! I don’t know about you, but my showers tend to veer from 2 minute affairs while the coffee is brewing… I’ll just have a quick shower, then watch a few YT vids with a coffee- to full-on buffing, soothing and replenishing sessions. This trio falls somewhere in the middle and fits in to an average everyday routine.
Hair
No matter what, I always start with washing my hair, so that I can leave conditioner on while I do the rest. Bed Head Recharge is a clarifying shampoo, which removes pollutants, sweat and product build-up from the hair. I tend to use it once a week for this purpose, though I don’t think it would do any harm to use it more regularly… I just like to change shampoos depending on how my hair is behaving on a particular day! I’ll follow this with the vitamin and antioxidant enriched Recharge conditioner from the same range. Unlike some clarifying products, these don’t leave my hair feeling stripped, squeaky or dried out… instead they add shine and the sweet scent of Sweet Orange, Wild Raspberry and Vanilla. (ps I love the rounded top bottle shape!)
Mask
Once a week I like to give my hair an extra boost with a mask, recently in the form of Organic Surge 2 minute Moisture Mask. Silicone free, this contains pure coconut oil and plant extracts to nourish my dehydrated frizzbomb back to something resembling hair. I love 3 things about this: it’s made with natural ingredients, it only takes 2 mins & it leaves my hair soft & gently scented with coconut - what’s not to love?! A normal person could probably skip their regular conditioner when using this… I find it quite light (probably perfect for fine hair) and tend to need a double whammy, so use it after my regular conditioner!
Body
During those two minutes I’ll treat myself to the completely heavenly scent of Molton Brown Pink Pepperpod Body Wash (formerly Paradisiac Pink Pepperpod). Hands up, this is a luxury, but one that I think is totally justifiable! On a practical level, the bottle is huge; I use a drop the size of a 10p each morning and after six weeks, you can see how little it has gone down. A cheaper shower gel will do the job, but I love how this lifts my spirits and makes me feel amazing on a cold, groggy morning. Pink Pepperpods, ginger and patchouli create a warm, softly spiced scent that’s perfect for Autumn and makes my whole upstairs smell divine… possibly because I layer this up with the matching body lotion - super light, softening and sinks in before I get dressed - perfect.
Do you like to pamper yourself in the shower - or are you more of a wash & go gal? (if anyone else is old enough to remember *that* advert, please leave me a comment below to make me feel better!)
Autumn cosiness: Becksöndergaard Supersize Nova
I’m much more of a Spring Summer girl at heart, so when it comes to Autumn, I like to surround myself with cosy comforts, hence an annual quest for The.Perfect boots, coat, jumper, handbag, scented candle, berry lipstick… and the (wish)list goes on! I’ll share some of the above with you at a later date, but today it’s all about The Perfect Autumn Scarf. I’ve lusted after this particular number for over a year now and thought that instead of picking up 2-3 cheaper scarves throughout the season, I’d stick to my new minimalist only-wear-what-you-really-love theory.
This beauty is the Becksöndergaard Supersize Nova and it’s HUGE (110x200cm)… if I untie it, each side comes down to my knees. The 50:50 silk/wool mix came highly recommended and I love that it’s really lightweight and soft, yet very warm. I’ve basically not taken mine off since it arrived two weeks ago and worn it indoors a lot, but it looks even better over a leather biker (which worryingly, I couldn’t find when taking these pics!)
It took me ages to choose between the colourways but I’m really glad I went for Grape Wine as I think it suits my skin tone and goes with lots of stuff I already have. This one is from Zalando, where I’ve just spotted an adorable new giant heart print *hides credit card*.
I already know I’m going to struggle not to buy another scarf as I do have a weakness for them and love how they can transform an outfit as well as keeping me warm… do you have a favourite AW scarf?
REN Rosa Centifolia No1 Purity Cleansing Balm: Review
I think I’ve found the perfect cleansing balm. No1 Purity Cleansing Balm is a new addition to REN’s Rosa Centifoliacleansing range, with 100% natural Rose Extract Complex to tone, soften and soothe while cleansing. And that’s exactly what it does.
Reasons I love it:
Lightweight squeezey tube with flip-up lid is quick, easy and hygienic to use
Skin-kind natural ingredients… ahhh
That ‘just perfect’ rose scent; rosy enough for you to know that it’s rose, yet gentle and delicate
The light texture that’s *just* solid enough to be balmy yet immediately softens on contact with warm skin and feels delicious when massaged in.
It works. It removes all of my make-up and leaves my skin feeling soft, clean and fresh (not taut).
Rinses off easily with a flannel or the muslin provided (don’t chuck the box until you’ve taken this out - been there done that).
The ease of removal is an important point for me. What I love about balms is that they feel like a treatment as well as a cleanser. I generally remove the bulk of my make-up first, then go in with a balm, massage it in, leave it on my skin while I potter, shower, clean teeth, whatevs (or not, according to how much time I have), then rinse off with a cloth and warm water. Some (eg Balance Me) require a fair bit of effort to remove, which I guess brings its own benefits (scrupulous skin), but frankly, I’m lazy and love that this one washes away with as much ease as a cream cleanser.
I’ve been using this most evenings for one month now and my skin is looking and feeling very happy with itself. This tube was provided for review and when it runs out I will replace it for sure.
The Rosa Centifolia™ range includes a cleansing foam, make-up removing milk, 3-in-1 cleansing water, cleansing balm, gel wash and an exfoliating polish, all available here.
I’ve tried very little from the REN range - this is the first since the Rose Otto shower gel a friend kindly bought me many years ago. Any other recs would be very welcome!
Pur Minerals Skincare: Be Firm & Tone Up!
Anna - a friend & fan of all things natural - tested these products on my behalf as I was trialling other skincare when sent these for review. I hadn’t realised that Pur Minerals did skincare - check out the natural green and red tones of these products!
Here are Anna’s thoughts on the products after one month of daily use…
Click to enlarge pic & view ingredients list
Be Firm: Complete Facial Serum
I was initially surprised at the watery texture of the serum as I was expecting a thicker, more gel like consistency, although when I realised that this is water based it made sense and I was glad to be putting a more natural product on my skin. It instantly had a cooling and tightening effect and felt good. The smell, or lack of it, took me a while to get used to… I like putting on things that smell gorgeous but this was not one of those. It left a slight tacky feeling on my hands after I had put it on, which wasn't pleasant, so I felt I had to wipe my hands after applying it.
I do believe this serum has helped my normal to oily skin. My pores seem smaller and skin definitely feels firmer. I would use this product again only for the skin benefits but the consistency, smell and tackiness would put me off.
Tone Up: Total Eye Fitness
I was happy to use a product that doesn't sting the skin around my eyes. It feels really lovely to put on and does not leave a residue. I have noticed a difference, the under-eye darkness has reduced and my eyes are not as puffy. I would recommend this gel and would definitely use it again.
Thanks for taking the time to test and review these so thoroughly, Anna! x
Pur Minerals Tone Up Total Eye Fitness, £25 is available at M&S here and Be Firm Complete Facial Serum, £32.50 here.
