Today I'm Wearing #11: Not Just Another Nude Nail Look

Hello Lovelies! Happy Memorial Day! I hope you all are enjoying the long weekend! I wanted to share with you my go-to nude (but not boring) nail look. It consists of 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann's Before He Cheats, a sheer baby pink, with a coat of Deborah Lippman's Diamonds and Pearls, a gorgeous opalescent shimmer,  on top. 

Thoughts & Comparisons: Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup vs. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Hello Lovelies! I never thought I would be able to say this, but I think the hunt for my ideal foundation is finally over! Meet my new love, Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup. 

 Before this, I had been using Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua for the past year or so. Because these two foundations are fairly comparable, I thought people might be interested to know how I think the two stack up against each other!

Formula

Both Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup & Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua are liquid in texture. They both  come in plastic bottles that have to be shaken vigorously before dispensing the product to mix up the ingredients. I find that Vitalumiere Aqua seperates more in the bottle, despite shaking before hand, and sometimes comes out with what looks like water seperated from the foundation. The Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup on the other hand comes out of the bottle in a fluffier texture, almost semi-mouse like. It seems that the shaker in the bottle does a better job of infusing the foundation with air when shaken.

Both foundations feel lovely & lightweight on the face and are formulated to act almost as a "second skin." Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid does seem to have a thinner consistency & just sinks into the skin with minimal blending. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua feels slightly thicker in my opinion. With a brush like the Real Techniques Buffing Brush, both foundations blend in very well. Estee Lauder just feels absolutely weightless on the skin, almost as if you are wearing no makeup.

Coverage

Both foundations are light coverage initially but can easily be built up. I find however, that I have to be careful not to apply too much of Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, especially around my nose, otherwise it can start to look cakey. With Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid, I have never had that problem, even when I add an extra layer to the center of my face. 

Color Range

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Estee Lauder offers a much wider range of colors for this foundation than Chanel. Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup is offered in warm, cool and neutral shades, whereas Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is only offered in warm or cool tones. B10, the shade I was matched to in Vitalumiere Aqua is slightly too yellow for my neutral skin tone. The shade I wear in Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup, 1N1, is a perfect match for me. When the SA initially was color matching me, I was shocked when this shade literally disappeared on my face. You could not tell where the foundation ended & my bare skin started.  

Longevity
One of my main complaints with Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua was the longevity. Despite using powder & a setting spray, my foundation would always disappear around my oily nose & t-zone by the afternoon. Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup is much longer wearing & only slightly fades from the oilier places on my face throughout the day. 

Although Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua worked well for me in Fall & Winter, once Spring hit, I noticed the foundation would break down more in the heat & go patchy throughout the day. With Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup, I find that I am having to blot my face & touch up with powder much less during the day. I believe Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid is much better suited for those with combo to oily skin because it is oil-free & non acnegenic. 

Price 

The Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation retails for $45 for 1ml, while the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup is $35 for the same amount of product. 

Packaging

I can't lie and say that I am not swayed by beautiful packaging, because I am. This is the one category where I feel Chanel wins hands down. There is something so luxurious about Chanel packaging. Any time I use one of their products, I can't help but feel like I am treating myself.

 Although I love the product inside, I find the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid packaging quite boring & actually a bit unattractive. I feel that Estee Lauder could have done a much better job with the design of the bottle.

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup in 1N1 (Left) & Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B10 (Left)

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup in 1N1 (Left) & Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B10 (Right)

Overall, Estee Lauder was the absolute winner for me. This foundation is by far the best I have found for my combination skin type to date!


Have you tried one or both of these foundations? I would love to know what your experiences with either was!

Lots of Love,

Louise

     

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

Hello Lovelies! I seem to be having a bit of a love affair lately with another makeup brand. Thank god for me (and my poor wallet) it's Revlon, an affordable, easily accessible brand! I've been pleasantly surprised with their recent releases such as the lip butters, their new Colorstay nail polishes, and now these beauties- the new Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains! 

I actually wasn't aware of this new launch, until a few days ago when I was in Target & found myself at the Revlon section browsing the nail polishes. While there, I picked up two colors: Rendezvous, a highly pigmented orange- coral & Cherish, a lighter cool-toned pink with lilac undertones. 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous (Top) & Cherish (Bottom)

Happily, the color cherish is almost a dupe for one of my favorite lip products, tarte's LipSurgence Natural Lip Stain in Charmed. On the lips, both products look very similar, with Revlon's Cherish just a bit cooler & more lilac toned than tarte's Charmed. 

Rendezvous comes across as a vibrant orange with hints of coral on my lips. I can't help but feel like a bit of a 50's throwback (in a good way) when wearing this color, especially when paired with a little flick of black liquid liner on the eyes. 

For the price (I believe I paid $7.99 each) I think these are great lip products. They are very pigmented & feel comfortable on the lip. They are nowhere near as drying as the previous generation of Revlon lip stains that are liquid & come in a marker form. As far as their claim of being moisturizing however, I'm not completely sold. I wouldn't say that they dried my lips out, but I prefer to wear these with a little extra balm or lip gloss on top for some added moisture. To be fair, I don't purchase lip stains for their "moisturizing" capabilities. Even with my beloved tarte lip stains, I still wear lip gloss on top. 

As far as wear time, I would say these are ok. They lasted on my lips for about 2-3 hours before I started to see a bit of fading & had to reapply. For comparison, I would say my tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Stain pencils last about 4-5 hours on my lips before I feel the need to reapply. The tarte lip stains do also feel nicer & more creamy on the lips in my opinion, whereas the Revlon ones feel a little more waxy.

Swatches: Cherish (Top) & Rendezvous (Bottom)

Overall I have to say I'm pretty impressed with Revlon's new Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains. They may not be quite as lovely as the high end lip stains on the market, but for nearly $16 (or more) cheaper, I think they are a pretty great alternative.

What do you think about lip stains? What is your go-to brand?

Thanks for reading!

Lots of Love,

Louise

Today I'm Wearing #10: A Bright & Juicy Nail Look

Hello Lovelies! Here is just a quick post to show you my current manicure! I'm really loving this look because it is bright & girly, but without being too flashy. I am wearing Revlon's Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel in Marmalade (bright orange) & Essie's Cute As A Button (bright coral).  What I love is that from far away you can't even tell that I am wearing different colors on the nails because of the similar orange hue between the polishes. But if you look closer, you notice the contrast of the coral & the bright orange, which I think is pretty fun! 

What's In My Makeup Bag?

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MAC Immortal Flower

Photo taken with Instagram

Hello Lovelies! Do you ever feel like some things are just meant to be yours? Well that's how I feel about my new blush, MAC's Immortal Flower, from the Tres Cheek Collection. Ever since April when the collection came out in stores and online, I had been lusting over this blush. Unfortunately, Immortal Flower was undoubtedly one of the most popular products of the collection. As a result, it flew out of stock & I was left unable to find it anywhere. So, defeated & depressed (a bit dramatic I know) I sat back & read post after post from girls raving about this beautiful blush. I had all but forgotten about this lost treasure until one afternoon recently when I was walking through Nordsroms. I had actually stopped by to pick up something special for my giveaway when I found myself walking past the MAC counter. Almost as an afterthought I said to the SA " You're sold out of the Immortal Flower one aren't you?" And who would've guessed what she said back "Oh! I actually think we have only one left!" Clearly, I took this as a nod from the makeup gods & quickly snatched it up!

Ok Birchbox, You Just May Have Redeemed Yourself

Hello Lovelies! Hope you're having a wonderful Mother's Day!
If you can't tell from the title of this post, I haven't been overly impressed with the Birchbox service in the past. I signed up about 6 months ago & was looking forward to receiving lux samples each month. Birchbox promised samples from high-end companies such as Stila, Kiehl's, NARS & Kerastase. At just $10 a month, it seemed like a great deal to me! However, every month that went by I became more and more dissapointed by the service. I never once received samples from any of these lux brands. In all honesty, how many samples of Pangea Organics does one girl really need?! So, I reluctantly decided to end my subscription. That was until a month ago, when I received an email advertising the Gossip Girl inspired May Birchbox. I had heard such good things about other inspired Birchboxes such as the Teen Vogue box, so I figured there was no harm in giving Birchbox a second chance.