My Thoughts Corner

Occasionally I come close some of the products that miss the mark. Although I tend to make considered purchased, there are some bits and bobs that don’t live up the hype or let me be more specific, they don’t live up to MY expectations. Once again, in these kind of posts, I emphasize that the products didn’t work for me only but they aren’t necessarily bad and might be HG for others. 

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in Bronzer | This is a product that has been well hyped and everyone seem to go nuts for it except few and I’m one of those. I first had to purchase it online as it wasn’t available in UAE or if it was, the price was 3 or 4 times more. Not only it took forever to reach but also it was shredded. I let you guess my frustration… I took a deep breath though and was hoping that the bronzer will blow my mind and make me overcome my first letdown but since it’s mentioned in this post, it didn’t. It is a smooth powder that’s bordering a cream, gives a warm glow, the smell takes you to a tropical island and all that jazz. BUT it did translate into nothing on my light skin tone, seriously nothing! The packaging, despite the lovely print, is too bulky. The Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer is a good product but only for a niche skin tone, being the pale gals. 

Max Factor Creme Puff Pressed Powder | Max Factor, founded by the man who invented the word “make up”, is a brand I haven’t tried much from. Recently, I have read a touching history about their pressed powder; Creme Puff. It’s a product that has been passed down generations. It’s even mentioned somewhere that it was the only pressed powder back then, unfortunately I’ve got nothing on hand to affirm the said, yet I honestly can’t seem to get how such product survived all these years. The powder is an old-fashioned formula that has a quite rough texture at touch, which perfectly explains the heaviness on the skin once on. It literally felt like an air blocking layer on top and looked chalky and cakey on my skin. The strong baby powder scent it has, was another disappointment adding to it the very dark shade range for a pressed powder. Sadly, the Max Factor Crème Puff Pressed Powder doesn’t meet my makeup concerns at no level.  

Catrice AllRound Contouring Palette | As a contour lover, I have been on the lookout for the best cream contour product for quite some time. Still I have to admit that I enjoy the Maybelline Master Contour V Shape Duo Stick, talked about here, however the more I got to the bottom the harder it gets to apply. Having spotted the Catrice Contouring Palette and for just few bucks, I could only help myself get it and I regret it. The packaging is great; very sleek and travel friendly. Nevertheless, the creams are not soft as a cream product is supposed to be and are truly hard to work with. The pigmentation is again very opaque letting the shades blend into nothing. With this I guess my quest for the perfect cream contour is still on. 

I Heart Chocolate Bronze And Glow | Unusually, this is no dupe. As we all know, the I Heart Makeup rocked the packaging of the chocolate palette range. For a matter of fact, I picked this one for its packaging. The powders are soft creamy yet a lot of fallout is noteworthy. Not to mention that the bronzer is not even visible on my light complexion even when I tried to build it up. Regrettably, the Bonze And Glow palette comes in one shade and would only thrill the pale skin folks. 

Kiko Eyebrow Fibers Coloured Mascara | I picked this product in the hope to find and affordable dupe to my beloved Benefit Gimme Brow but I didn’t. It is quite pigmented I’ve got to admit and has a liquid-y formula which ain’t practical as well as the huge wand as I always end up having some product on my forehead that I have to clean while I prefer a small wand to target the small hair without making a mess. Another drawback is the longevity; the Kiko Eyebrow Fibers held my brows in place but as long as the benefit one does. 

Catrice Re-Touch Light-Reflecting Concealer | My experience with this one was terrible. Simply it’s none of what it claims. It’s way too thick for an under eye, too drying and heavy. In fact, it accentuated my fine lines like no other concealer. The twist was also a nightmare; I kept turning for too long and once the product popped it was way too much. 

This is it for this day.

Oh boy I’m so excited about this post and I have no clue how to start it …. As you must’ve guessed it from the title I’m naming today my favorite cheek products which are my all time favorites and what I own the most and that makes it very difficult for me to narrow down the list. My choices have changed quite a bit; I’m more into a matte bronzed definition mixed with a soft blush topped with a subtle highlighter. Does that make sense to you? Probably not… Keep on reading to figure out what goes inside my mind!!

I will cite the products in accordance of my order of application. Hence, let’s first enroll my bronzer list.

On daily basis, I don’t contour, I only use the same product to define and bronze. I’ll start with an iconic product that everybody loves; the Benefit Hoola Bronzer. It’s a classic that lasts all day and looks so natural on the skin offering a silky matte finish. It’s with no doubt my go-to bronzer.

Another universal one that I’m obsessed with is the Urban Decay Beached Bronzer. Having a creamy texture, it provides a gorgeous warmth to the skin with a fresh effect. I love it!

Many were attracted by the smell of this product; that’s like chocolate. Not my case. It is another matte bronzer but deeper in color. Yes! you guessed it; it’s the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer. It has a great  pigmentation and applies like dream taking the contour/bronze to a totally new level.

I love Me a GOOD Blush. In fact, 2 things I can never leave the house without; bronzer and blush. I don’t reach of the too many I own and that’s why I’ll certainly have to declutter this category. For now, let’s see the blushes I’ve been reaching for the most in 2016.

I have no idea how this first one got into my stash; The Rimmel London Lasting Finish Soft Colour Blush in 120 Pink Rose. That’s a long name. It’s with no doubt not the type of blush I used to go for nevertheless I’m very glad to have it. It’s a great day to day powders that’s soft in texture and provides the most natural and fresh pop to the cheeks.

Another everyday choice of mine is the Wet n WildColor Icon Blush in Rose Champagne, which creates the perfect flush. It’s a beautiful dusty rose color with a slight hint of shimmer. The texture is super velvely and the pigmentation is great without being powdery.  

Whenever we travel, I have to pick a Chanel Blush from the airport. Don’t know why. The Chanel Joues Contraste in 15 Orchid Rose is the last blush in the everyday section. It is a lovely pink with very light blue undertones that gives a beautiful glow finish.

For quite some time, I thought there is a huge hype around the Nars Orgasm Blush until I swatched it while in Paris at Sephora and couldn’t resist picking up the super-size. It’s a medium warm pink with golden shimmers that provides radiance and luminosity.

If I have to choose only one peach blush for the rest of my life, it would certainly  be the Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Malice. It’s very close to the Nars Orgasm but not. The shimmer in Malice is barely there but the color is a light still vibrant peachy pink.

My newest addiction is highlighters. Once more I will say that I don’t own many of these. I’m still sticking to the same old highlighter picks I posted last August with a new addition of the Makeup Revolution Shimmer Brick Radiant. I’m really obsessed with this highlighter! It is insanely pigmented and has a buttery texture that makes the application so easy. I love a good swirl of all the shades for a subtle golden glow.

Two months back the Makeup Revolution Golden Sugar Blush Palette was a part of my Summer Highlighter Picks post and it is one of the favorite highlighter palettes among bloggers community. Today I’m not coming with a full review on this one but I’m sharing my thoughts on the all new Golden Sugar 2 Rose Gold Blush Palette. Let’s check it out!

Naturally some shades will stand out for some skin tones better than others but of course what might not work as blush, bronzer or highlighter could certainly be used as an eyeshadow and for that the bottom two shades (7,8) from the right will serve me that purpose.

My favorite shades are the top right matte (4) which is a great bronzer for warming up most skin tones but maybe not the dark ones, the pink shades (1) with mauve undertones and (6) a shimmer pink that are perfect blushes that add a lovely flush and lastly the highlighters (2,3,5) that vary from peach, golden champagne and a rose gold which I find stunning and believe me that’s quite weird coming from someone who’s not into highlighters at all.

Honestly there is no way to fault Makeup Revolution on this palette, or most of their products. It a gorgeous palette that’s great for travelling with a remarkable pigmentation that provides a dewy finish and a good longevity too!! As for which one of the blush palettes I prefer, I believe the original one is suited for all year round while the Golden Sugar 2 Rose Gold is more appropriate for summer time.

Have tried this palette? What are your thoughts on it? 

I’m finally back after not showing up for a whole month. September was a busy one but mainly exciting especially that I’ve been in Paris and enjoyed the wonderful city, weather, family and friends and that the comeback very hard but…. C’est la vie!

Whilst in Paris, I obviously did some shopping however I didn’t go crazy as I focused on things I can’t get (or get easily) here in Dubai despite the fact that I was quite restrained as the price of the French pharmacy are extremely cheap across abroad.

I’ve decided to divide this post into two parts to give me more time to chat about all products. I’ve got to say that I haven’t tried any of these except for 2 or 3 items, however I’ll take you through each product and specify what made it interesting to me.

The first beauty shop that was on my way was KIKO which is known for their good quality products at an affordable price. I start off with the In The Shade Eyeshadow And Kajal (€5) in 01 and 05 and are from the limited edition collection for 2016. These are double ended pencils with an intense color payoff and extreme hold. I always loved the idea of eye shadow pencils especially when travelling or when I am short on time in the mornings. The colors are beautiful and perfect for everyday wear with a soft and creamy texture.

Next up is another limited edition product; the Strobe & Sculpt Cream Contour Palette (€14.90) in 02 medium to dark. I’m not into cream contouring as much as powder which made my collection in that category narrow and that’s what made me go for this one. This is one of those I haven’t tried yet however when swatched; the colors are subtle and the texture is creamy.

My last purchase from Kiko is their pencil lip gloss (€3.90) in 10, which is a nude dark rose shade; nothing surprising here. It is very comfortable and easy to apply. In fact, I wish I picked other shades but unfortunately there weren’t many left in the store I was in.

The last product for this first round of the haul is the Maybelline Instant Anti-Age L’Effaceur Fond De Teint which I believe is the Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Makeup. I couldn’t resist picking up this foundation, hoping that it will be as good as the age rewind concealer which happens to be one of my holy grail concealers. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

So that sums up my first round of Paris Beauty Haul. I’ll be posting my second part in tomorrow’s post so stay tuned for that.

Cheeks? That’s what floats my boat… I’m all about blushes and bronzers and I can never have enough. A while back I got my hands on the Catrice Blush Artist Palette in shade CorAll I Need and being me I couldn’t resist having the other two, namely BronzEclat & Rock’n’Rose … To know what I think? Keep on reading!!

The Blush Artist Palettes were launched for spring/summer 2016 having a versatile range of colours ranging in a harmonious way from warm, coral to natural shades to accentuate the natural traits. Each palette holds three shades; a matte blush, a shimmer one and a highlighter that could be utilized either solo or combined.

The palettes are housed in a typical Catrice packaging; basic clear plastic case. And to be honest, it is a very practical, as first it is travel friendly and second, it allows you to identify the product without having to open it to check the shades.

The blushes apply beautifully and blend easily while the pigmentation is not extreme but just the right amount to prevent falling into the clown cheeks! The highlighter in this is nothing but subtle.

“010 BronzEclat” symbolizes the warm tones in this collection which could be my least used palette mainly because of the red brown shade, as I’ve got nothing like it in my stash, but I don’t want to judge it too soon as I figured that the combination of the two blushes could result into something lovely. The second pan is a glow-y peach color with gold shimmers and the highlighter is a pink champagne shade that’s very flattering to the cheekbones.

If you know me well, you’ll guess that the “020 CorAll I Need” palette is my favorite. I mainly love the matte pink shade with coral undertones; it adds a lovely hint of colour that appeals to freshness. The other blush is a bright pink with golden glitter while the highlighter is a shy peach that’s ideal for a natural enlightening.    

My second favorite palette is the “030 Rock’n’Rose” though I think it is best suited for lighter skin tones as it’s the most rose cool toned palette. The first shade represents a pretty pink coral with fine shimmers that’s not even noticeable. The second one is a more vibrant pink with a matte finish and lastly the highlighter, is a pink shimmer that gives a great look once applied.

The Catrice Blush Artist Shading Palettes are perfect for a healthy natural look and the lasting power is quite reasonable. I had them during a short trip and it was a joy to play with. The Catrice Blush Artist Shading Palettes are truly another drugstore hidden gem. I’m a fan!

Hi Guys,

Welcome to my second post of Summer Picks, and today my talk is about the bronzers. I’m a huge lover of wearing bronzer daily year round. In fact bronzer is my favorite beauty product. Not only it adds glow, but it also shapes and slims your face and my focus in this post is the bronzers that only adds warmth and glow to the skin.  And before going into the details, I have medium beige neutral toned skin and I prefer warmer bronzers.

My first pick is TheBalm Betty-Lou Manizer which is my favorite shiny bronzer. It is a warm golden brown shade with just the right amount of shimmer to give a natural healthy glow. The pigmentation is incredible and just little bit is needed and as of the formula it’s effortlessly blendable and lasts a great deal of time. It is simply marvelous.

My second bronzer is The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in shade 05 dark golden matte. It is a natural matte bronze shade, perfect for an everyday sun kissed look.  The texture is soft with a velvety finish and blends easily. The color payoff though isn’t strong; however it is buildable.

My last but not least is the Catrice Mineral Sun Glow Bronzing Powder in shade 010 Golden Light. I love this mineral formula for not being completely matte or shimmery; it is just the right balance in between. The shade is a light natural tan without being overly done. The finish is matt and the pigmentation is not strong which allows an easy build up.

This is my round up summer bronzer! I hope you enjoyed reading!

Have a great day,

Hello Everyone,

Six months back I picked the Makeup Revolution Iconic Blush Bronze & Brighten Palette in shade “Flush” to use it when I travel but somehow I totally forgot about it until I got the other three shades; Golden Hot, Rave and Smoulder, as free items in my recent haul and I thought that it’s the best time for reviewing these little gems .. So let’s jump into it!

The four palettes come in the usual simple and slim glossy black packaging of Makeup Revolution with a good sized mirror, which makes them really compact and perfect for travelling or simply carrying in your makeup bag.

All the three powders are well pigmented; it provide just the right amount of product for a subtle glow and which could easily be build up for more color pay off. The staying power for a fact is not bad even in summer days; the blush, bronzer and highlighter stay around 5 to 6 hours.

Texture wise, I will be talking about each powder separately and I will start with the blush that has a creamy to powder texture with a matte finish which make its blending effortless and beautiful. The bronzer has a similar texture of the blush without being too matte and does amazing job in warming up the skin and giving a healthy glow. It could also be used to contour if layered without being muddy. Finally the highlighter! This one is simply stunning. It is not overly glittered to make you feel like a disco ball but it adds just the perfect natural and gorgeous sheen to the face.

“Flush” contains a peachy-pinky blush, light neutral bronzer with orange undertones and a honey toned highlighter.

“Rave” contains a classy coral blush, light golden bronzer and a champagne highlighter.

“Smoulder” has a bright pink blush, mid toned bronzer and a pearly white highlighter.

“Golden Hot” being the warmest of all 4 palettes comes with a lovely bronzy color with gold shimmers as a bronzer, a neutral pink color as blush and the highlighter is a beautiful rose gold shade.

Beyond any doubt, I like these palettes; they are a must have in your makeup bag for an everyday use. I love the idea of having a handy multi-purpose product, as I could easily use the bronzer and the highlighter as eyeshadows and I would save with that a lot of time and space when I am on the move. The quality is lovely and the colours set are so versatile that there’s a shade for everyone. Give it a try and you won’t regret it!!!