Current Favorite Summer Face Makeup

Solei tan de Chanel bronzer

Chanel Les Beiges Multi-Color Glowing Powder

MAC Pearlmatte Face Powder(limited edition 2013)

Stila Illuminating Beauty Balm

It Cosmetics Celebration Foundation Illumination

Dior Rosy Glow Awakening Blush

These products have been my go-to products for the summer. It is all about minimal makeup with a healthy glow. 

Stila Illuminating Beauty Balm has been the most grabbed product. It gives light coverage and I find it works better as a primer unless you are lucky enough to have gorgeous skin which needs no to light coverage. I top that off with It Cosmetics Celebration Foundation Illumination. It sets everything in place and gives your skin the healthiest glow and still provide enough coverage.

Since I have been applying sunscreen religiously all year round and I need bronzer to warm up my complexion. Solei tan de Chanel  has been in my collection for a couple of years and I used it so much but still looks like I haven't put a dent in it. So if you are on the fence about getting this, get this, this will last you forever. Chanel Les Beiges Multi Color Glowing Powder is a limited edition product from last summer I believe. I swirl all three shades and just apply all over my face to give a nice bronze summer look.

Another limited edition product is from MAC Pearlmatte Face Powder. This is from their limited collection from 2013. Sometimes when you love a product so much, hate it when it is limited edition and you can't get it anymore. This is not shimmery and doesn't emphasize pores. Gives your cheekbones a natural glow.

Last product is my current obsession: Dior Rosy Glow Awakening Blush. I got this in early May and I have been applying this non-stop every single day. Sometimes I just wish I would just stop and start using other blushes but I just love this too much. 

What are your go-to products for summer face makeup?

Panera Bread Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Wannabe

I love Panera Bread Strawberry Poppyseed Salad. Every summer, they bring this popular salad back. I am trying to make this salad at home.

The secret to this fabulous salad is its salad dressing. I have searched online for copycat recipes and come up with this:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/8 cup vinegar

1 tbsp poppyseed 

2 tbsp sugar

I tried not to put in so much sugar in it but the vinegar really makes it sour. I may cut down on vinegar next time. But the dressing comes pretty close to the one at Panera. 

Sephora Haul

Did a small Sephora haul as I want some gifts with purchase and the Laura Mercier 500 perk seems pretty good.

Too Faced Primed and Poreless Pressed Powder

I desperately need a good compact powder to stay in my purse for mid-day touch up. I have been loving the Rimmel stay matte pressed powder but it doesn't have a mirror and the packaging is not the ideal to use outside your home(plastic top container and I have to carry a compact kabuki brush). 

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

This is a re-purchase as I left my Urban Decay primer potion at my parents' last time I went home for a visit and have been living without a good eyeshadow primer. These two has got to my top 2 favorite eye primer.

Stila Ready, Set, Summer Makeup Set

This is my second set. This set contains the illuminating beauty balm(0.34 oz) and lip glaze in Mango. Not a big fan of their lip glaze as it is quite sticky. I love the illuminating beauty balm. This set is only $18. I have used up the illuminating BB cream and it lasted me a good 2 months. I didn't get the full-sized as I will most likely use this in the summer.

Main reason I placed a couple of online orders is to get gift with purchase. Heard so much about how awesome Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil and I almost got the full-sized one without trying it. I was very lucky as just when I was about to place the order, saw this promo for a deluxe sample size Luna oil. As the full-sized is $131, I think it would be wise to try it out first before committing. 

Second promo I got is this Giorgio Armani gift set which includes the Black Ecstasy Intense Mascara, Lip Maestro Intense Velvet Color and Fluid Sheer in 2. 

Also redeemed 500 perk for this Laura Mercier Flawless n 5 set. 

• Flawless Skin Face Polish (0.4 oz.)
• Foundation Primer – Radiance Bronze (0.5 oz)
• Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 in Nude (0.5 oz)
• Lip Glacé in Nectar (0.1 oz)
• Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact in Bronze 03 (0.06 oz)

I haven't used their primer for a while and excited to try out and see if the formula has changed.  

Also got a few samples. I got a few perfume samples but they are not my cup of tea and I toss them already.

Which Gel Moisturizer is Worth Your Bucks

With the hot summer months, I need a light-texture moisturizer but yet hydrating. I have oily-combo skin but after the past long cold winter, I find my skin a bit dehydrated. My regular moisturizer is rich enough but I don't feel like applying it as it is just too heavy.

I have been trying out different gel moisturizer which is in trend right now. The 3 that I tried is quite similar in texture and properties but which one is worth your bucks?

Two of them are deluxe sample size from Sephora and one full-sized product purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Belif True Cream Aqua Bomb CAD $48 for 1.68 oz 

Clinique Moisture Surge Intense  Cad $44 for 1.7 oz

Both the Clinique and Belif are almost identical in price for the product. Belif is more of a gel texture than the Clinique one. 

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cad $18.99 for 1.58 oz

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel is aimed at very dry skin. I was hesitant to try as I thought it would be too much for my skin type. But to my surprise, it is not and just about right.

Out of the three, the price point of the Neutrogena is the most appealing to me. However, I don't find it extremely hydrating. It does get absorbed quite fast into the skin so it is perfect to use in the morning before makeup. 

Between Clinique and Belif, I would definitely pick Clinique. It is much thicker in texture and it does take a bit longer to get absorbed into the skin. But I find it extremely hydrating and see an overall improvement of my skin being "rejuvenated" after applying it for a couple of weeks. It makes foundation application so much nicer when your skin is plumped and hydrated. 

I know after I am done with these, I would definitely purchase the Clinique in full-sized.

Vichy Idealia Skin Sleep

I am so excited to receive Vichy Idealia SkinSleep & Life Serum* to try out. I have oily combination skin but lately I find my skin to be on the drier side which is so new to me. 

I received the two full-sized products to try. Idealia Skin Sleep is a new product to the Vichy popular Idealia line.

Idealia Skin Sleep is a rich moisturizer you apply at night. The concept behind it is to apply it as a mask and let it do its magic while you sleep. It is a gel texture so it won't feel really thick. It is very similar to my current favorite night mask: Laneige Sleeping Pack(see post for a comparison of different hydrating masks). I apply a thin layer to begin with and let it absorb. After a few minutes, I apply another layer.  If you apply a thick layer, it would just get rubbed off throughout the night, especially if you are a side-sleeper like me, product would be transferred to your pillowcase. I use this 3 times a week and I find in my third use, I start to see results. In the morning, after rinsing off the mask, my skin feels plumped and hydrated. It just feels like it has drunk up a good amount of moisture and skin feels well-rested. 

I have been searching for a good hydration serum to apply before my moisturizer. When I was at Shoppers Drug Mart earlier in the month, I asked the SA which serum she recommends and she said hands down the Vichy Idealia Life Serum. She gave me a small sample to take home to try and I am very impressed with it. Not to mention the amazing scent, this serum is not too sticky to the touch and absorbs into the skin quickly. I am not a fan of serum which takes long time to set. Who has the time in the morning to let it sit on the skin for 10 mins?

With both products used together, I find the results more obvious. I use the serum in the morning after rinsing off the Skin Sleep and after sunscreen application. I use four pea-sized amount for my face and just gently pat. Let it sit for a minute and I apply my daily moisturizer. I find my skin tone is more even and hydrated. I think if you have drier and more mature skin, you would see results almost immediately. 

With oily combination skin, I never thought my skin would need extra hydration as I fear my skin would look too oily. But I slowly learn that with the proper hydration, my skin breaks out less. Adding good hydration products like Idealia line from Vichy is a good start. I am very happy with these two products and will definitely re-purchase them once mine is used up.

* products were provided by ChickAdvisor product review club

May Empties

Another month flew by and we are entering into summer. Sometimes just wonder how come the cold winter months linger on forever and when warm weather is here, time just fly by so quickly.

Finished 2 sample-sized primers: Hourglass Veil & MUFE Step 1 Equalizer(Smoothing). So many people rave about the Hourglass Veil but I don't find it particularly impressive. It is very smooth and silicon-y but other than that, it doesn't help my makeup stay on longer. MUFE smoothing primer is much better in my opinion. It does blur out pores and evens out imperfections. 

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper is my absolute favorite liner. It is my holy grail and it seems like I have used this forever and in fact, this last me a good year and a half and I use it every single day. It doesn't dry out and it helps inexperienced line-drawers like me to do the perfect winged lines.

Finished another Dermaglow Lash Enhancer. Don't think they are available anymore but I stock up on these when they were on deep discount when they discontinue the line at Rexall. 

I am a hand cream hoarder and I have so many opened tubes of hand cream lying around. My staple is the Glysomed. It is my must have for the winter months. I have the regular size in my vanity all year round but I keep a smaller size handy lying around the house. Fruit & Passion Lily has been sitting on my "to-finish" stash for a while and I finally manage to finish it. The scent is quite nice but in terms of moisturizing, it is just ok. La Roche Posay Anthelios is my go-to facial sunscreen all year round. I usually grab the SPF 60 but heard from one of the SA at Shoppers Drug Mart that they are going to change the packaging and come up with newer versions soon.

Finished 2 of my skin care staples: Origins GinZing Eye Cream & High Potency Night-A-Mins. I have used a few of these already, loving them. But just for fun, I will be switching my day eye cream and experiment a bit.

IOPE Air Cushion Foundation. Yes, I finally managed to finish one foundation. If you have used this type of air cushion foundation, you know that it is not that hard as there is not a whole lot of product. But the fact that I did manage to finish a whole one makes me happy. When I bought the IOPE air cushion XP, it comes with 2 and I still have one more. This is my first air cushion foundation and I quite like the finish of this. 

Last but not least is a Bath & Body Works Nectarine Green Tea 3-wick Candle. I have been cutting down on my candle purchase at Bath & Body Works. The scents seem quite repetitive to me and I am branching out to other brands to explore.