Tweet Smooth Silky Skin with Reviva Labs Makeup Primer

I love that smooooth silky touch

First off, im so sorry i havent posted in awhile! My camera's memory card wasnt working and i freaked out because i had taken so many product pictures and swatches on it prior to that.. luckily, my dad somehow fixed it and now i finally have pictures to put into my post!

I was recently (okay i lie.. im really behind in doing these reviews! opps!) sent some products from the lovely people at Reviva Labs to review (and giveaway! - that will come later :)) The two products i received were their Makeup Primer and their Light Skin Peel. Today, we will focus on the primer :)

Now we all know primers all seem to be very similar, they all give us smooth silky skin, help make foundation application easier, make foundation last longer etc etc.. so what makes this one so different you ask?

well first, lets take a look at the product itself :)

yup thats right! men too :D

ohh how i LOVE products with expiration dates printed CLEARLY for me to see!

packaged in a sturdy glass-like bottle, this primer comes with a super easy to use pump function. (did i ever mention how much i love products with pumps? i just loveee the control you get!) the product itself is a tad on a liquid-y side.. something different from the usual thick primers we use.

here you can see the product is not a thick gel like substance, in fact, its quite liquid-y!

very smooth consistency

after.. all moisturizer and ready to "apply makeup!"

first the goooooood :)

this primer makes my face suuuuuper silky smooth! I love the texture of this primer because it is not a thick gel-like product, rather, it is quite liquid-y making it smooth on easier and also feel less like you applied lard all over your face (eww!). plus, you know how sometimes when you apply foundation too quick after moisturizer/primer and you end up with that gunky stuff balling up on your face? well, it wont happen with this primer! :)

and of course, the usual "extends the staying power of your foundation", "increases the coverage of your foundation" & "boosts the pigmentation of your products" all come into play! :D

and then, the bad...

hmmm.. bringing out the critical side of me, i would have to say that this primer can seem to be a bit oilier than other primers.. most likely because of the consistency. Also, it does take a tad longer than other primers to absorb into your skin. however, once it does though, it really does create a very nice base for your makeup :) but we already went through that lol.

the other point i'd like to make would probably be that it is not as affordable as we'd all like. retailing for $19.50 and only available online (from what i know), makes it slightly difficult for everyone to try and use this product.

overall

but other than that, i quite like this primer! i have been using it daily since i got it and even though its an extra step to my makeup routine, i really do have to say it does make a difference :) so for all those who arent using a makeup primer atm, seriously, give it a try! you'll notice a difference for sure :)

Tweet Before & After - Sleek Primer Palette

How Well Did It Hold Up? You Decide...

Now that you've seen the swatches and heard my 'initial' review of the Sleek Primer Palette (click here if you havent!), i think its about time to show you how it really holds up.. with some eye looks :)

this is the eye look i tested it with

Firstly, i applied two shades from the primer palette - the coral shade all over my lid, and the shimmery white in my inner corners.

just primer

just primer

and while i was rummaging through my makeup stash to get my wet n wild palettes... look what happened :(

slight creasing already?!?!

Ignoring that, i patted on some shadows from my depotted wet n wild palettes. I used a shimmery light beige on inner corners and highlight, a matte coral all over the lid and just a tad of a darker beige in the outer corners. Next, i used a shimmery gunmetal shadow to line my eyes and applied mascara.

with eyeshadow and mascara

with eyeshadow and mascara

and here's some full face shots :) so you can see what it looks like.

close up

okay.. now for the moment of truth! this was taken at the end of the night.. it was a pretty long day, i'd say i put on my makeup at around 8 am and took it off around 10 pm lol

this eye seems to be alright... but scroll down a bit further and prepare to be shocked *gasp*

So as you can see, one eye had slight creasing but the other eye suffered horribly. Although you cant really tell because of the lighting, the colors were also fading and my eyeliner was nearly all gone! (i use a shadow as a liner daily after i apply some concealer all around my eyes and that normally holds up quite well throughout the day)


So... im not sure about you guys, but i dont think i want my shadows to crease THIS badly :( if it was only as much as the first eye.. i could probably bear with it because the colors in this palette were sooo gorgeous.. but i dont know if i could handle the risk.. can you?


Let me know what you guys think! and have a great week!

Tweet Holy Grail Wednesdays - Monistat Chafing Powder-Gel

This week's holy grail, is a cheap drugstore version of a primer! I know many of you are loyal fans of smashbox's primer (or any other brand) but i've been using this for awhile and i think it is a great replacement! The product i'm talking about is Monistat's Chafing Powder Gel. Im sure you guys have heard of it before because this is actually pretty well known as a good alternative for a primer. 

Of course you've probably heard of the brand Monistat before and are probably thinking... "eww.. i can put that on my FACE?" yes.. you can! Its not gross.. although it originally is for .. other areas of your body, it is actually very similar to the expensive primers available at sephora and contain basically the same ingredients. You can pick this up at your local drugstores (i buy mine from Zellers i believe for around $8.99-9.99 CAD) If you're having trouble finding this, dont forget that it will not be in the makeup section! It is usually located where the bandaids are, or more embarassingly, where condoms are :O!

Tube + Box so know what to look for at the store!

With flash

No flash

Smoothed out, feels oh so soft!

What they say:

This breakthrough product is great for daily prevention and relief of chafing and irritation in delicate areas like your inner thighs, bikini area, underarms and breasts. The formula is unique: the easy-to-apply gel dries to form a silky, breathable barrier. It calms skin while preventing the irritation caused by moisture, heat and movement. It's also great for soothing skin after shaving or waxing.

•Non-greasy POWDER-GEL™ skin protectant formula with dimethicone. Dries to form a silky, breathable barrier to fight friction.

•Prevents chafing and irritation caused by moisture, heat, and movement. Ideal for treating everyday intimate discomforts of athletes, plus-size women, new moms and bikini area waxers or shavers.
•Fast-acting formula comforts chafed skin. Works with just one application.
•Fragrance-free and non-staining. Discreet relief without damage to your undergarments.
•Non-irritating formula with vitamin E and soothing aloe. Gentle enough for daily use on even your most delicate areas.

Comparison of Ingredients:
Monistat Chafing Gel
Active Ingredient: Dimethicone 1.2%
Inactive Ingredients : cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, silica, tocopheryl acetate, trisiloxane
 
Smashbox Photofinish Foundation Primer
Ingredients: Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Safflower Seed Oil, Propylene Glycol, Water, Grape Seed Extract, Kolanut Seed Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract.

Overall, i think the ingredients are quite similar, but of course smashbox does include more seed extracts etc. But seriously, comparing the price and sizes of what you get ($8.99-9.99 CAD for 1.5 oz for Monistat, and $44 CAD for 1oz for Smashbox?!?) I think i'll stick with my Monistat :) I find that it pretty much does the same thing for 1/4 of the price!

Pros:
- dries to powder finish
- creates a smooth silky surface by evening out pores and blemishes
- fragrance free & doesnt clog your pores!
- allows for better adhesion for your makeup
- lasts a long time (only need nickel sized amount)
- definately worth it! both price and size!

Cons:
- may be harder to find, or embarrasing to buy? (depends on person)
- doesnt include extra benefits such as spf, colour correcting etc

I personally love this and have been using it for quite some time now. It has NOT given me any breakouts, neither has it improved my skin (without makeup). However, i can definately see changes when applied with makeup because it gives off a more airbrushed finish by covering all those nasty pores and also helps my foundation and concealer last longer. I love putting this on (you really only need a small nickel sized amount for your whole face), because it makes my face so smooth and soft afterwards :)

So what do you guys think? Have you tried this before? Do you want to? Or are you religiously using another brand and most likely will not be changing anytime soon? :)
xAgnes