L'Oreal Infallible Pro Glow Concealer & Powder

This summer, L'Oreal continues to extend their Infallible lines- there are new lips and face products coming. Today we'll talk about the brand-new concealer and powder that the brand is releasing for Summer 2017.

I'll admit that I was disappointed that L'Oreal chose to create a Pro-Glow concealer rather than a Pro Matte, because I've never been a fan of the Pro Glow foundation, whereas the Pro Matte is one of my drugstore Holy Grails. I'm halfway through my second tube of Pro Matte, but am mixing in the Pro Glow during the winter for finish. I can't wear it alone.

I don't think I've found this at local stores yet but purchased mine from Amazon. I'm making this clear because I didn't get to see it in person prior to purchase.

When it arrived, my heart sank. I'll get to why in a bit.

Let's talk packaging. It reminds me of Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, which I decluttered because 10 is too dark. It's a slim, square tube with a flat applicator.

Now, here's my issue with this. I purchased shade 01 Classic Ivory. On my hand is Pro Glow foundation 201 Classic Ivory.

I have two thoughts.

1. FAIL
2. What the *&*&*, L'Oreal ?!?!?!?!?!

I didn't even get to test the formula, this is such a ridiculous fail. Because I want to make my dark circles even darker. Glad L'Oreal's on the cutting edge of that trend. UGGHHHH.

Look at just how damn dark this thing is:

Are. You. Kidding. Me. ?!?!?!

L'Oreal, this isn't acceptable. Your LIGHTEST shade would be the 5th-7th darkest in Shape Tape.

ARGH.

I could vent all day about this, but let's move onto the other release- the brand-new Pro Glow powder. I do have its cousin Pro Matte and like it.


The packaging is similar to Pro Matte.

The powder isn't.

This is such a unique powder- there's actually 2 powders in there!

It's reportedly a demo-matte powder with an included highlighter. The upper shade is demo-matte and slightly darker, whereas the lighter shade on the bottom is a highlighter.

Here's a swatch:

I'm really digging this product- it gives such a nice, airbrushed look without becoming a glitter ball.

Bottom Line: The powder's worth checking out, but the concealer is a ridiculous hard pass that's unacceptably dark.

YSL Spring 2016: Boho Stone Collection

I know that this collection has already been covered by many others, but I wanted to share my thoughts nonetheless. I've had it since Boxing Day, so I'm a bit late. I've only recently gotten around to testing it though. Consider this day 1 of several posts that you've seen other places first but I'd love to give my spin on.

I purchased 4 items from the Spring 2016 Boho Stone Collection: the Couture Palette Collector Indie Jaspe, the Face Palette Collector Gypsy Opale, and the two polishes- Love Pink and Peace Green.

Various pieces of this collection have been going in and out of stock at the usual haunts since their release. I hate showing items that may or may not be available but I'm making an exception here.


After seeing initial swatches of the Couture Palette Collector Indie Jaspe ($60), I was sure that this was the palette of the season for me. After playing with it, I'm not so sure.

First, let's look at how stunning the packaging is. It's truly a collector's item.

This eyeshadow quint contains a pink, a peach, a light green, a dark green, and a silver.

They swatch like a dream on my hand. Although I have no idea why silver is showing purple in my swatches. Hmmm...

Those are the colors that drew me in. I can't replicate that performance on my eyes though. The lighter shades start running together and fade quickly, even with primer. If anyone has any primer suggestions please let me know because I want to love this. I've tried NARS Pro Prime, Smashbox Eyeshadow Primer, and using MAC Painterly to anchor it. Same results across the board, which makes me sad. I have faith that I can find the right combination though!

Overall, this is worth checking out. It's beautiful, and would be tops on my list if I could get the pigmentation to translate to my eyes.

I'll admit it- I bought the Face Palette Collector Gypsy Opale ($48) because I got sucked in by the
compact.

This is a lovely face powder (I use it as a final powder). The individual stripes are large enough to be picked up by a very, very small brush- but why bother? I simply swirl a brush around. I'm so glad that I nabbed the above photo before I started testing because the YSL embossing was gone by the third or fourth usage. The above photo reflects a totally virgin pan of powder in the sun.

I've been testing this as a finishing powder for about a week. It's pretty, but it's not a must-have. If you don't have lots of other powders, this one is fairly reasonably priced and comes in a stunning compact. I didn't bother taking any swatches since it produces a translucent powder. Even though there's a lot of pink in it, it doesn't make my face any pinker. I'll probably keep this around and in frequent usage for when I'm playing with pinks. The compact's that cute to look at.

I wish I'd had more glowing reviews for you than I had. I do like the products and find them to be a reasonable price. They're nice, but they didn't wow me (the packaging, on the other hand....).

However.

There are also two nail polishes with this collection ($27 each) - one of which caused quite the buzz. Love Pink and Peace Green are stunning polishes with a hint of duochrome. While the compacts got the incredible packaging, these are showstoppers.

Let's start with Peace Green.

Peace Green is a gorgeous mint with pink shimmer. A shimmer which shows up in the bottle, only slightly on the nail, and darned near impossible to photograph. However, I GOT IT!!! in this somewhat blurry shot:

Isn't that amazing? Now you understand why people have gone crazy for this shade.

Here's Peace Green on my nails:

Bottom line, this is a stunning polish. Good luck tracking down a bottle!

Next up, Love Pink. I was ready to pass this but I'm SO glad that I didn't!

This is an amazing pink with flashes of green. It's the opaque, green version of Deborah Lippmann Dream a Little Dream. It's everything I had been looking for in a pink polish. I'm in love.

Here's Love Pink on my nails:

There's a bit of the duochrome flashes peeking through here.

I pulled some comparisons in my stash for both of these- take a look. I find them both totally unique.

That's it for my selections from YSL Spring 2016. I've seen these items go in and out of stock at Nordstrom and on YSL's site. Don't forget to call your local Bloomingdales either! Stay tuned tomorrow for my purchases from Chanel's LA Sunrise Collection.

Chanel Les Beiges

I may be a bit late to the Les Beiges party, but I've had the chance to test this product multiple times over the past couple of weeks.  I finally purchased as a part of my overall makeover that I received.

I'm still not quite sure what it's supposed to be.  I do know that I don't buy anyone's claim that using Les Beiges will make one look like Gisele.  Sorry Chanel, it's going to take something more dramatic than powder to achieve that effect.

OK, let's start at the beginning.  The full name of the product is Les Beiges- Healthy Glow Sheer Colour.  It includes a broad spectrum SPF 15 sunscreen, and comes in 7 shades.  From lightest-darkest, they run 10-70.  For your $57.50, you receive a compact with 0.42oz of product.  Today I'll be featuring No. 10, the lightest shade.

Not to overstate the obvious, but Les Beiges is a departure from the traditional Chanel packaging.  Instead of the sleek, glossy black case with white logo we're used to, Les Beiges have a beige compact with black logo.  The compact is hefty yet not heavy.

Chanel includes a small half-moon brush with Les Beiges, but I've yet to hear of anyone actually using it.  Both MUAs who used the product on me used a large powder brush to pick up powder and equally distribute it.

I find No. 10 to be a great match for my skin, and was surprised at the number of ways that I saw MUAs work with the product. It's the sheer versatility that sold me on the product.

I've had it used on me in place of foundation, as a setting powder following foundation but before color product application, and as a touch-up powder.  I'm quite partial to my Guerlain Meteorites compact as a final setting powder, but I can see myself reaching for Les Beiges to set my foundation, and saving the Meterorites for a final touch-up.

Can you see Les Beiges swatched on my hand? I can't- which is perfect.

Wear time is average for powders on me- 3-4 hours in my oiliest bits, 6-8 on areas like my cheeks.

Overall?  If you're looking for a new setting powder or a fairly good bang for your buck, do yourself a favor and check out Les Beiges.  Darker ladies use a shade or two darker as a bronzer/contour powder, and lighter shades for highlighting.  Since No. 10 is as light as they come, I didn't have the opportunity to test it as a highlighter- and in both times, the MUA stayed away from any bronzing for me.