REVIEW: NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder

I picked up the Nars Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder during Sephora's 20% off Friends and Family Sale a few weeks ago and have been using it since. Here are my thoughts on it.

Pros:

- Doesn't look cakey

- Gives a satin finish

- Blurs imperfections 

- Prolongs lasting power of foundation

- A little goes a long way (it'll last forever!)

Cons:

- Price $$$

- Messiness from loose powder

- Oil control could be better (however I naturally have an overly oily nose so it could just be me..)

Overall, apart from the messiness of using a loose powder, I've been enjoying it thus far. It hasn't broken me out and I love the finish it gives. I'm just glad I got 20% off it because like all other NARS products, it's quite pricey ($39.00 CDN), however considering you don't need to use a lot, I think you're getting your money's worth of product (10g/0.35oz).

xoxo

What I Thought// MAC Matchmaster Foundation

I picked up the MAC Matchmaster Foundation a while back when I finished my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (which I miss dearly btw..) and I thought I'd share my thoughts on it.

This is one of MAC's newer foundation that claims to adjust to your skin tone with the use of "Shade Intelligence Technology". I always found products with a "self-adjusting" claim to be quite gimmicky, although when I first tried a sample of this foundation, I was actually impressed with its ability to adjust quite closely to my skin tone. 

I initially bought this in the shade 3.0, which is what the MAC associate advised for me since I told her I was NC30 in the MAC Studio Fix Fluid and Pro Longwear, but I exchanged it for the shade 2.0 because I found that the 3.0 oxidized on me (turning me an unflattering oompa loopma orange). 

Bare Face

Left (w/Foundation) vs. Right (w/o Foundation)

This foundation claims to have a demi-matte finish with medium, buildable coverage and has an SPF of 15. I actually agree with the claims because it was definitely matte with a slight glow that doesn't make you look greasy, and I could still see my skin peeking through. It's definitely not as thick as the Studio Fix Fluid, but easier to blend than the Pro Longwear. I also found that it held up better against my oily skin than Pro Longwear did.

Whole Face w/ Foundation

Full Face of Makeup

I find that I rarely have to blot throughout the day with this and I love that I don't necessarily have to set it with powder because it sets fairly quickly. Now, that doesn't mean you have to work quickly to blend it out, but it doesn't have that annoying tacky feeling when you're anxiously waiting for it to set so you can move on with the rest of your face. 

Overall, I'm impressed with this foundation and I appreciate that it sticks relatively close to its claims. It's probably one of MAC's foundations that I can actually openly recommend without picking out its flaws. 

xoxo

What I Thought// Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara

So I recently finished a tube of the Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara and figured I'd share my thoughts on it.

I bought mine at my local Wal-Mart for about $6-7 and thought I'd give it a try as some of my favourite YouTubers were raving about it. This mascara has fibers in it that claims to lengthen your lashes up to 4 mm. It's like hair extensions for your lashes.

Now a little background on my lashes. They're on the shorter side however not super short, probably bordering medium length? They've got decent volume (although I could definitely use more) and they're fair at holding a curl.

Did I like this mascara? It was alright. The formulation starts off on the wet side like most Maybelline mascaras are known for, however it was more manageable when it dried out a bit. The brush was decent although I did get more clumping than I'd like.

To be honest, I felt like it didn't do too much for my lashes. If anything it was quite uncomfortable to wear, especially if I wasn't careful and got some of the fibers close to my waterline. Now that was an annoying feeling! It kind of hurt sometimes actually.. I didn't see too much of a difference in length, but there was some noticeable difference - especially with my bottom lashes. I'm not about to go measure to see if they extended 4mm but I could've done with a little more length.

Would I repurchase? Probably not. It wasn't my favourite and I think it'd be better for someone who has fairly long, thick lashes to begin with. Maybe lengthening mascaras just aren't my thing.. but if lengthening fiber mascaras are your cup of tea then I'd say give it a try! We're all entitled to our own opinions right? I just picked up the new Covergirl Flamed Out mascara so stay tuned for my thoughts on that one.

xoxo