Dior Addict Extreme (Riveira) & Givenchy Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick (Tempting Coral) Review

I have been falling for the coral hype that has been going on for a year now. (I know I'm a bit late, but better late than never!) Let's say I accidentally pressed the checkout button on Sephora's website and ended up with Dior Addict Extreme in Riveira and Givenchy Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick in Tempting Coral. These two colors were very similar in shade range but differ in many aspects. 

Dior Addict Extreme (Riveira)

Riviera

Riviera was a shiny without glitter lipstick. It was more on the orangey pink side which I considered a real coral. Like the Black Tie Color I tried before, Dior does not disappoint with its quality and moisturizing properties. Riveira enhanced the color of my lips and gives it a sheer pop of coral. There is no settling into lines of the lips which you get from thicker texture lipsticks.

Price: $31 

Size: 0.12 oz

Rating: 4.5/5

Givenchy Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick (Tempting Coral)

Top - Riveira
Bottom- Tempting Coral

Tempting Coral is really similar in color to Riviera but it leans on the pink side. This lipstick has a glittery sheen and a thicker texture like normal lipsticks but the product still maintained a bit of moisture. I did not like the crayon smell that it came with and when applied on the heavier side, this product may settle into lip lines. The color was a very good everyday color and less orange than Riveira.

Price: $30

Size: 0.12 oz

Rating: 3.5/5

Josie Maran (or any brand): Argan Oil Review

Claims: This 100% Pure Argan Oil is a legendary oil that's rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, and grown organically in Morocco. With its multitasking benefits, Argan Oil can be used for many areas including hydrating and nourishing skin, as a daily moisturizer, skin treatment, treating spilt ends, and softening cuticles. It's gentle enough to use on all skin types and is believed to help with skin conditions including acne. Argan Oil easily absorbs into skin to give you a youthful, dewy glow, and has astonishing healing, conditioning, and antiaging properties to keep your skin and hair nourished and revitalized and to keep you looking beautiful from head to toe. (Sephora)

Opinion: I recieved a sample of Josie Maran: Argan Oil a while back and was a bit afraid to try oil on my already oily face. If your skin is on the drier side, this oil can be applied directly on the face and will soak in pretty quickly but with oily or combination skins, there is always that icky feeling whenever the moisture on ones face seems too much. This oil will sink in after a few minutes and is best applied at night when shininess is no worry.

I realized that mixing in a few drops of argan into my daily moisturizer will decrease the feeling of oil going directly onto the face. After letting my face lotion soak in, I noticed dry patches decreased and my skin hydrated without the yucky feeling. After a few days of using this there was a greater difference such as softness and smoothness of my overall complexion. Success!

Price: $48

Size: 1.7
Rating: 5/5

Too Faced: BB Cream

Claims: Our innovative beauty balm offers multiple skincare and makeup benefits in one simple step. Our powerful, multi-mineral complex instantly achieves a healthy glow and improves skin's overall appearance. 

Opinion: I went to LA this past weekend and I brought a travel size of the Too Faced BB cream in nude glow. My NW25 skin (MAC) matched pretty well with this BB cream because I could not tell where I applied it and where I did not. (Con)

Lets say my skin usually does not look greasy right when I apply makeup but this BB cream's glowing affect made my face look like I have been out and about for a few hours already.  My solution was to put translucent powder over my makeup which I usually do but this defeated the purpose of the glow that was suppose to come with the tinted moisturizer.

The coverage of this cream is extremely light and you would need to layer on this product in order to get any type of coverage. Most of the time I feel as though I did not put anything after applying this product.

Price: $34

Size: 1.5 fl oz.
Rating: 2/5

Revive: Makeup Blending Applicator (vs Beauty Blender)

I was shopping at Marshalls during my lunch break and I came across multitudes of makeup blending sponges just like the Beautyblender. These on the other hand, were 3 times cheaper at $5 dollars originally being $10. The store carried two different shapes, one being the tear drop we all know and the other was a hourglass egg.

I have tried searching around for this brand but there does not seem to be any news on this brand or the blender itself. The sponge came in many colors including, blue, coral, purple, pink and the signature beautyblender color which I purchased. This sponge seems to be very durable and will last a very long time, it will expand to twice it's size when submerged in water which is shown in the picture below.

I have not tried the Beautyblender but this is a cheap alternative to those who do not want to spend too much money but want to try this method of applying makeup. Good Luck! 

**Update: I recently received the Beauty Blender in the May Popsugar Must Have Box and there is definitely a big difference between the two sponges. The revive sponge is a lot denser and harder and holds a lot more water than the Beauty Blender. When applying makeup with this sponge, a lot of the makeup sticks the the surface and does not fully meld into the skin. The Beauty Blender is a lot easier to work with and can easily soak water and much softer when using on the face. If you like using the sponge technique when applying makeup, you should definitely give the real thing a try because it definitely makes a difference on the overall finish of your foundation and is much better than the cheaper sponge. (Tried really hard not to like the real thing, but... fell into the hype. xD)

Amazing Cosmetics Concealer Review

Claims: AmazingCosmetics' AmazingConcealer is the most amazing concealer available today. This highly pigmented, super-emollient, waterproof formula blends seamlessly into the skin, creating a flawless complexion that looks and feels natural.

Opinons: I have been getting back into the Amazing Cosmetics Concealer recently due to the higher pigmentation and coverage that it provides. I use concealer mainly for my under eye circles  The concealer holds up very well for a few hours then there needs to be reapplication. It does live up to its claim of a waterproof formula with blend-ability but this concealer does not look the most natural.  The best use for this product would be on pimples or redness on the face but people will definitely notice that you are wearing makeup. Cons about the product would be the price ($42 for 0.5 oz) and caki-ness of product when a heavy amount is used.

The best method for this under the eye would be to apply with a brush or your fingers and pat into the under eye area in a triangular shape making sure to sweep down and blend into your skin. After you have built up the necessary coverage, you finish off with a setting spray and creasing will be minimized. If you do not use a setting spray, there will be creasing and setting into fine lines around the eye.

My shade is medium beige which matches my medium warm yellowish skin. For comparison, I am a NW25 in MAC shades and light med in most other shades from other companies.

Rating: 3.5/5

Price: $42 (for 0.5 oz)

Loccitane Original Hand Cream Review

Claims: Enriched with 20% Shea Butter, this super-creamy balm penetrates quickly to protect, nourish and moisturize hands. Honey, almond extracts and coconut oil are blended with Shea Butter to create this extremely effective formula. The rich texture leaves hands soft and smooth with no oily traces, and can be applied as often as needed.

Opinion: This Loccitane Original hand cream is a decent find. I got my hands on a travel size when they were offering them for free at Loccitane. The first thing you notice when applying this lotion would be the strong baby powder smell which dissipates after a few minutes. The application is on the greasy side but is hydrating for those really dry hands. All in all a decent cream and a nice addition to ones travel bag.

Rating: 3.5/5

Price: $10 (10 ml)

Carols Daughter: Ecstasy Shea Soufflé

Claim: Lightweight and non-greasy, each emollient-rich soufflé leaves dry to extra-dry skin feeling soft, supple and smelling delightfully divine. Moisturizing never felt so good! 

Opinion: I received Carols Daughter: Ecstasy Shea Soufflé in my Glossy Box a few months back and have been using it on and off for a two months or so. The lotion is true to it's claims! It is the only body lotion that I find non-greasy on my body and is the best remedy for my extra dry skin after a long hot shower. After using the lotion, even my hands are left with a soft moisturized feeling. The scent of this product is amazing hence the name ecstasy I am guessing... it smells of strawberries and cream mostly with a bit of other tropical scents mixed in. 

Rating: 5/5

Price: $13.50 (4 oz.)