Over the holidays, I received a lovely package from L’Oreal and was literally so overwhelmed with product that it wasn’t until last week, I took it out of the packaging and started playing with it — and there’s so much good stuff!
For starters the L’Oreal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier Anti-Fatigue BB Cream ($10.99) – it’s fantastic! I’ve tried a lot of BB Creams and this one is more lightweight and hydrating then the others. And in all honesty the way the term BB is thrown around it’s in a bit of a grey area if this qualifies as one (there’s no SPF, it’s not really a foundation and I’m not sure how many skincare properties it holds…), but no matter, it did what it promised by waking up my skin. It didn’t conceal as much as evened me out, smoothed out my pores and left my skin feeling hydrated and with a more youthful glow. And while I’m generally very suspect of universal shades (since that usually means every shade but mine), this worked perfectly for me. If you’re going for the whole ‘no makeup, makeup’ trend add this product to your list. There’s also a variation for anyone that gets red, with the L’Oreal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier Anti-Redness BB Cream ($10.99). L’Oreal Paris additionally has the original Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream in 4 shades, Light, Deem, Medium, and Fair which I have yet to try.
I’m a white name kind of girl and this week’s mani is “#712 Hit the Slopes.” Part of the L’Oreal Paris Limited Edition Sparkling Soiree Nail Collection ($5.99/each) that features four winter shades and four glitter top coats. (You can see the other shades on nouveaucheap.blogspot.com). I’ve only tried this shade from the line and I love how in your face, white it is and super shiny at the same time. Two coats minimum to keep it even.
L’Oreal Paris also introduced the Colour Riche Extraordinaire Liquid Lipcolour ($9.99) in 16 shades. The formula has a nice, wet gloss appeal that sits on the lips and isn’t messy or look heavy on. Infused with precious oils, they offer a smooth surface application and delivers rich color (that’s not overly pigmented) and shine. So far I’ve only tried #2o1 Rose Symphony, #403 Purple Prelude and #500 Molto Mauve. #201 is my favorite since it’s a really pretty pink-red that’s not too in your face (it’s a great Valentine’s day lip pick!). The other two shades we’re too muted to work with my complexion (I look like I’ve been drinking too much red wine all night). They aren’t longwear to be prepared to reapply throughout the day.
I’m a sucker for eyeliner pencils (especially from L’Oreal Paris), their new Silkissime Eyeliner by Infallible ($8.99) is available in six silk pencil liners. The creamy, liquid formula glides on like butter and can be applied to the lash or water lines depending on dramatic effect. I tested out two shades #250 Cobalt Blue which has a strong pigment and is more matte, while #270 Green Ivy is more of a shiny metallic green with a hint of yellow that shimmers. It is smudge-proof and a long-wear formula so bring out the top notch makeup removers for taking it off (I found the Cobalt Blue especially tough).
As for the L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara ($7.99) it’s okay. Boasting a new 360 flexor brush, it was definitely a unique experience trying this mascara – I actually felt like I was bouncing my lashes up and down as I combed through them. It did lift and thicken my lashes. I appreciate that the formula has a grace period before drying so you can keep brushing the product through for desired effect without it clumping. Only con is that I did experience light flaking throughout the day.
L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Ombre Eye Shadow Quads ($9.99) are available in 8 palettes. I only tried two, #230 Perpetual Nude and #260 Incredible Grey. The pros of both are how well they blend and it’s a lighter finish (you can blend as much as you’d like and the formula won’t get thick). In the case of the The Perpetual Nude palette it was very subtle (my middle-eastern skintone most likely turned it town a notch), except for the light shimmer which wasn’t too overwhelming in a teenage makeup kind of way. It still worked for all ages and is a nice everyday makeup choice but if you’re expecting an intense pop, this isn’t the palette for you. The Incredible Grey had more versatility to go from light highlights to a more intense smokey eye. To really pop a more metallic sheen and pigment, wet your brush slightly, which will intensify that pretty sheen.
