Audrey Dao » HE Face

Skindinavia No More Shine Review

Audrey Dao — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:22:42 +0000

Skindinavia No More Shine ($29 for 4oz.) Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray. Controls shine and absorbs oil over face and t-zone while preventing makeup slippage. Formulated for oily skin types.

Features and benefits:

Extends makeup wear for oily and combination skin types.
Fewer required “touch-ups” throughout the day.
Stops makeup slippage on t-zone.
Can be used both under and over makeup.
Controls shine and oil without drying.

My Thoughts:

For the past several months, my face has become super oily and shiny by lunch time and this is after I blotted mid-morning. I needed something to help control the shine so I turned to Skindinavia’s No More Shine. Skindinavia’s No More Shine is a setting spray that controls oil and shine. The spray is very light weight and feels refreshing. There was no unpleasant smell nor did it ruin my makeup. It didn’t dry out my skin or leave behind a sticky feel. No More Shine didn’t keep my face matte all day like I was hoping, but it did cut down on the amount of times I had to blot to just once in the afternoon. Even though the setting spray didn’t keep me matte, it did keep my makeup in place all day long. I didn’t have to worry about doing a mid-day makeup touch-up. Overall, I wouldn’t use Skindinavia’s No More Shine as a way to prevent oil and shine. Instead, I would use it as a way to keep my makeup looking fresh and lasting all day.

Make Up For Ever Full Coverage Concealer Review

Audrey Dao — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:04:38 +0000

Make Up For Ever Full Coverage Concealer ($30) An ultra long-lasting, matte finish, oil-free, waterproof, full coverage concealer. Designed to cover major imperfections like scars, hyperpigmentation, major discoloration, burns, and tattoos. This light and creamy concealer contains a high concentration of pigments that stay put, making it perfect for use on the face, as well as the body.

My Thoughts:

This concealer does live up to it’s name. It does provide full coverage. The tiniest dot of this concealer will cover so much. You’ll be surprised. I know what you’re wondering. Is it really worth $30? I think so. I’ve been using the Full Coverage concealer for a year, and I still have a lot of product left. I love that it’s a squeeze tube with a tiny opening because you are guaranteed to never squeeze out too much product and see your money spent on the product go down the drain. The concealer is a like a thick cream, but blends very easily. The only complaint I have when my skin is on the oily side it doesn’t last all day. It’ll last a whole work day, but if you’re going out after wards, you’ll need a touch up.

Make Up For Ever Face and Body Liquid Foundation Review

Audrey Dao — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:12:44 +0000

Make Up For Ever Face and Body Liquid Foundation ($38) The secret is all in this top-selling formula. This waterproof, ultra-light, water-based gel contains no emulsifiers and provides a totally natural, satin finish. Ideal for normal skin-types as well as for fine lines and large pores. Gives skin a uniform tone without accentuating imperfections. A makeup artist’s favorite.

My Thoughts:

Make Up For Ever’s Face and Body Liquid Foundation does a great job of evening out your skintone. The foundation is a water based gel that gives your complexion a glow. Also, the foundation blends very easily to create a flawless finish. The foundation is light and doesn’t provide a lot of coverage, but it does last all day. The coverage reminds me of a tinted moisturizer but slightly heavier. It feels very light and doesn’t accentuate dry spots or flakes. Don’t be alarmed at the weird texture. It’s suppose to look jelly-like. Just shake the bottle and it’s ready to be used.

Skindinavia Dance! Makeup Finish Review

Audrey Dao — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:47:49 +0000

Skindinavia Dance! Makeup Finish ($19-$29) Created for the “all-nighter.”n Dance! holds makeup in place while you are on the move. Perfect for dancing, working out, and parties. Helps control excess shine and keeps makeup from running even through perspiration.

Surface cooling technology holds temperature to avoid melting or sliding.

Greatly extends makeup wear.

Revives fatigued makeup.

Formulated for very active use.

Saves up to 50% of makeup usage.

Helps control shine.

My Thoughts:

I am so glad I brought this with me on my Vegas trip this past summer. Going to Vegas during the summer is basically hanging out in an oven all day and night long with people pushed up against you 24/7. It’s a major sweatfest. Wearing makeup isn’t practical. It will just slide right off your face as soon as you step out of the hotel, but you have to wear some makeup if you’re going to hit up all the Vegas hot spots right? Enter Skindinavia Dance! Makeup Finish. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for Skindinavia Dance! Makeup Finish. This finishing spray kept my makeup in place and intact from the moment I stepped outside the hotel until I returned in the wee hours of the early morning. My eyeliner didn’t smudge, mascara didn’t smear, foundation didn’t disappear, and my face was shine free. It didn’t change the texture or the color of my makeup or cause my face to look weird in photos. The spray is very lightweight and invisible. You can’t even tell it’s there! Just a couple of quick spritz after applying makeup and you’re done. Skindinavia Dance! Makeup Finish is now a staple in my makeup bag.

Stila One Step Correct Review

Audrey Dao — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:15:12 +0000

Stila One Step Correct ($36) An innovative, three-in-one serum that contains three color-correcting, moisturizing brighteners for flawless looking skin. The newest addition to Stila’s One Step category, One Step Correct is a ground-breaking, triple-swirled helix serum that instantly color corrects, brightens, primes, and nourishes the skin. On top of the immediately gratifying benefits, the infusion of Stila’s exclusive Youth Revival Bio-Available Mineral Complex™ improves skintone, evens out the complexion, and helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles.

My Thoughts:

I am so glad I found the Stila One Step Correct. Instead of having to buy green, yellow/peach, and purple correctors, it’s all in one bottle! Plus, it’s a primer! It helped with evening out skintone , brightening your complexion, and oil control. When I applied the corrector, I noticed a pleasant cooling feeling. It was quite relaxing. The subtle shimmer the corrector has helped create a healthy glow. I love how it feels so light and is absorbed very quickly. It doesn’t feel like other primers on the market. It’s more of a gel-like serum. It’s a pricey primer, but a little goes a long way.

Benefit Stay Don’t Stray Review

Audrey Dao — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:44:01 +0000

Benefit Stay Don’t Stray ($24) This dual-action power primer works 360° around the eyes to make concealers AND eyeshadows STAY PUT. Concealers don’t crease, eyeshadows stay vibrant and true…you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!

neutral nude shade is universally flattering

custom airless pump is sooo easy to use? just a dab’ll do ya!

My Thoughts:

NO NO NO NO! NO! I’m sorry to say Benefit’s Stay Don’t Stray is not a very good product. Truthfully, I did not notice a difference between using Stay Don’t Stray and not using a primer at all. As you know, I have super oily lids so primer is a must for me. This primer was not able to keep the eyeshadow from creasing and fading. I think it made the creasing worse. Is that possible? I know people have complained about the pump dispensing too much product, but I didn’t encounter this problem. Instead of pushing the pump all the way down, I only pushed the pump maybe 1/3 way downward. Just enough to dispense a drop. A good thing about the primer is that it did even out my eyelid’s skin tone. Overall, it is best to avoid Benefit’s Stay Don’t Stray. There are so many eyeshadow primers on the market that are much cheaper and work much better.

Sephora Favorites Best in Bronze Deluxe Sampler Review

Audrey Dao — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:32:44 +0000

Sephora Favorites Best in Bronze Deluxe Sampler ($39)

A sampler set featuring 10 of Sephora’s favorite bronzers and luminizers.

What it does:
Create believable, sunkissed color, year-round, with this one-of-a-kind sampler set stocked with 10 of Sephora’s most-loved bronzers and luminizers.

This set contains:
- 0.02 oz Bare Escentuals bareMinerals All Over Face Color in Faux Tan
- 0.17 oz Josie Maran Bronzing Argan Oil
- 0.04 oz Lorac Tantalizer Baked Bronzer in Golden Bronze
- 0.08 oz Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder
- 0.16 oz SEPHORA COLLECTION Nail Polish in Bright Red
- 0.09 oz Benefit High Beam
- 0.08 oz TEMPTU RETOUCH Highlighter in Gold
- 0.2 oz Smashbox Artificial Light Illuminating Lotion in Glow
- 0.09 oz Tarte EmphasEYES Waterproof Clay Shadow Liner in Bronze
- 0.39 oz Korres Monoi Oil Bronzing Powder in Sunglow Light

My Thoughts:

The kit comes with sample sizes of different products that is perfect for summer: bronzer, highlighter, nail polish, and more! My favorite product from the kit is Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder. I may have to pick up the full size version once I use my sample up. This is a great buy if you love trying out new products and want to find out which products work for you but don’t want to shell out the huge amounts of money. Not only that, these products are great sizes to travel with. If you’re still a little hesitant, you do get 1 full size product in the sampler kit: Korres Monoi Oil Bronzing Powder and that is valued at $28. Come on! What are you waiting for? Get it!

Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder Review

Audrey Dao — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:56:30 +0000

Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder ($34) A silky, sheer setting powder. Infused with the finest French cashmere talc, this powder looks and feels natural. A unique light-reflecting ingredient creates a “soft-focus” appearance that smoothes fine lines and imperfections as it sets your makeup.

My Thoughts:

Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder has got to be the best setting powder I have ever used or tired so far. I was introduced to the powder by a Sephora SA who was begging me to allow her to give me makeover. You know how many companies claim their powder to be translucent but really they aren’t? You end up with a Casper/Vampire-esqe white face right? Well, this loose setting powder is truly transparent. I did not notice a white cast after I applied the powder. I even layered a thick layer just to make sure. Still no white cast. It’s a sheer powder that feels so smooth and soft. It is also very light weight. I love the finished look I get after using the powder. It gives my complexion a natural, flawless finish. I think it even brightened it! The powder keeps my face oil and shine free for about 5-6 hours and helps makes my makeup long lasting. I admit the $34 price tag nearly made my heart stop, but I think it’s worth it. A little goes a long way. Even with daily use, this will last you months and months. I cannot rave enough about it! Many thanks to the Sephora SA who introduced Laura Mercier’s Loose Setting Powder to me!

Lancome Teint Idole Fresh Wear Review

Audrey Dao — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:20:16 +0000

Lancome Teint Idole Fresh Wear ($32)

A makeup formula that provides 18-hours of shine-free wear.

Achieve 18-hour, shine-free perfection! This uniquely fresh, lightweight formula controls shine and provides natural coverage for a perfectly matte, poreless complexion.

My Thoughts:

I didn’t like Lancome Teint Idole Fresh Wear. It is advertised as long wearing. 18 hours to be exact. Did it last 18 hours? No. Close to 18 hours? No. It only lasted 3-4 hours. I also noticed some major oxidation. The foundation had completely changed colors! I was hoping this would be something I could use during the summer because it’s lightweight, but it didn’t control my oily shine or keep it away. I know the oily shine will only get worse once summer arrives. It also didn’t provide very much coverage. It’s rather sheer. I thought something from Lancome would be great, but I guess I was wrong.

Dior DiorSkin Airflash Spray Foundation Review

Audrey Dao — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 14:11:16 +0000

Dior DiorSkin Airflash Spray Foundation ($60)

What it is:
An ultra-fluid mist foundation.

What it is formulated to do:
Delivers an “airbrushed” effect with precision and ease. Evens out skin tone and visibly diminishes the appearance of fine lines and skin irregularities.

My Thoughts:

I was looking for a light foundation to use and remembered I had read a lot of good reviews on the Dior DiorSkin Airflash Spray Foundation. This foundation provides a sheer, light coverage. Exactly what I was looking for. Did I love it? No. Did I like it? Eh. For something that costs $60, you expect it to be absolutely wonderful. The foundation itself didn’t last very long. I would say about 5-6 hours. Also, if you use this almost daily, you will use it up in less than a month! The color selection isn’t the greatest either. Only 5 shades to choose from. I had to mix 2 shades together to get a color for me. That’s $120! What I liked about the Dior DiorSkin Airflash Spray Foundation is that it gave a natural, glowy finish. It almost looked airbrushed. Also, it didn’t take very long to apply. I don’t think I will be repurchasing this because it is going to cost me $120 every month. My student budget cannot handle that kind of expense. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone either because I don’t think it is worth $60.