Tweet Mini Sephora Haul!

Hello my lovelies!! 

Its that time of the year when beauty insiders get 15% off our Sephora purchase! I didn't go too crazy with my haul, just picked up two things. One that I knew I was going to get before I got to Sephora, and the other completely unknowingly but I'm so excited to try it!

Fresh's sugar lip treatment is currently my all time favorite lip balm! Ever since I got it as my Sephora birthday gift, I have been addicted! It smells like sweet lemon meringue and moisturizes so well!

I have been looking for a new tinted moisturizer since... forever. I have been using my Origins vitazing for the longest time and while i love it, I was looking for something more formulated to help control my shine etc. So while browsing the aisles at Sephora, I came across Tarte's amazonian clay tinted moisturizer! I tested it out on the back of my hand and I immediately loved the texture. Not oily, not shiny, not drying, not thick but just right. Of course, I cant say for sure until I test it out completely but that review will come later!

I also love all the things its formulated without and how it has spf 20! 

Do you have these products? Or what are you planning on buying with your 15% off? Let me know what you think!!

Tweet Let Your Skin Breathe in Spring with Origins Vitazing Moisturizer!

everyone says this is "life changing"

but ohh.. im not so sure i would bring it THAT far. i've been using Origins' Vitazing Moisturizer for about 3 - 4 weeks now, and while i do like it, i wouldnt say it is a life changing product. at least not yet!

 

What the website says:

This multi-tasking moisturizer handles the vital jobs of hydrating, energizing and protecting to maintain skin's momentum all day. Gives skin the refreshing zing of antioxidant-rich Mangosteen. And adds a healthy hit of radiance that mimics the glow you get from a week's vacation. All in 10 seconds max.  Slip it on first thing tomorrow - you'll look like you eat right, sleep tight & don't have a worry in sight. 

here are some product pictures showing how it works..

 

it comes out as a white moisturizer with grey specks. the grey specks are what causes the color changing aspect of this moisturizer

 

here it is half blended, you can see the color change. but overall, it is still very sheer and dewy.

 

again, another picture showing the color change

 

here, it is already fully blended in. 

Pictures before and after:

 

before... no makeup at all EEEK!

during... and then with the help of concealer & pressed powder..

How do I apply this?
The first few times i used this product, i used my fingers. because thats usually the simplest method for quick makeup application yet the warmth of your fingers also allow flawless blending. wrong. i find that if i use my fingers, streak marks can easily appear if i dont blend carefully enough. 

So, i started using my trusty Sigma F80 and/or my Sigma Miss Taylor Kabuki (both of which i ADORE and cant live without). and guess what? perfection! the flat top kabukis are a wonder when it comes to blending in the product and are also great for buffing it in nicely so you end up with no streaks <3

 after, just origins vitazing, maybelline concealer and rimmel powder appiled

First, the good.

This product is definitely a multi-tasker as it doubles as both a moisturizer packed with anti-oxidants to make your skin better, and a tinted moisturizer to give you some coverage. I would say that using only the product itself will give you SHEER coverage in that it helps even skin tones but doesnt cover blemishes or acne scarring. However, adding some concealer and then setting it all with some pressed or loose powder provides sufficient coverage (for me at least). It also comes in a tube form, making it very convenient and sanitary :)

The moisturizing aspect of this is quite nice. I like to use it after my usual gel moisturizer, but even if i am in a hurry and just use this product after washing my face, i find that my skin doesnt dry out throughout the day. (note, i do have combination skin) As well, this product does give a nice dewy glow if you decide not to set with a powder. Overall, i would say this is a good product to use for spring and summer when you dont want too much product on your face.

future note:

i have yet to fully see the benefits of all the antioxidants as i have only been using it for 3-4 weeks. I can say that i my skin tone does seem more even and i haven't been getting any more blemishes, which is a good sign (a really good sign!) but i will have to continue and see if this product is actually the reason for that. updates to come!

and the bad.

I expected this product to have higher coverage.. but then again, i guess it is just a tinted moisturizer. For the majority of us who suffer from acne or acne scarring, a concealer will be needed in addition to this product. Also, this is for most, in the higher price ranges costing $35 US for 1.7 oz. (for us canadians, it costs $44!) Although you dont need much to cover your entire face, for sheer coverage, this does seem to be a tad overpriced.

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Overall?
I am actually quite liking this product! and i think its perfect for spring and summer time when i opt for a more natural look rather than a full heavy face. Although it does have a sheer coverage and costs more than i'd like, i think i can splurge again when i run out just to get that pretty glowy look and even out my skintone <3

Tweet Will Origins Vitazing Moisturizer End My Hunt For a TM?

Thank you all for your lovely recommendations!

I received such lovely feedback from alot of you on my last post asking for suggestions for a new tinted moisturizer, re-enforcing again just how wonderful it is to have a blog because of the lovely followers and helpful blogger community thats grown ever since i've started Pinkbox Makeup :) Thanks so much everyone! I now have...  a much longer list of products to test out and am really excited to do so! I'll work through them one at a time though, so dont expect to see back to back reviews :p


So far on my list:
- Origins Vitazing Moisturizer (got already! testing it out atm)
- Mary Kay Tinted Moisturizer
- Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer
- Covergirl NatureLuxe & AquaSmoothers
- Skin79 BB Cream
- ELF Tinted Moisturizer
- Kiss My Face Tinted Moisturizer

Let me know if you guys have any other recommendations! I'd be happy to hear them :D


 and just an initial review for the Origins Vitazing Moisturizer...

The website says:
"SPF 15 Energy-boosting moisturizer


√ 95% said skin looked energized
√ 92% saw more radiant skin


This multi-tasking moisturizer handles the vital jobs of hydrating, energizing and protecting to maintain skin's momentum all day. Gives skin the refreshing zing of antioxidant-rich Mangosteen. And adds a healthy hit of radiance that mimics the glow you get from a week's vacation. All in 10 seconds max. Slip it on first thing tomorrow - you'll look like you eat right, sleep tight & don'thave a worry in sight.
 
1.7 fl. oz./50 ml US $35.00"

Initial Thoughts

The tube is smaller than I expected.. but then again, after using it for the first few times, i realized that you dont actually need that much product to cover your face :) so overall, i do think this tube will last quite some time. *phew* thats good news considering the heavy $44 CAD price tag!

Here's some swatches to show you guys the "magic" ;)

see those grey dots? those are what causes the color tint to happen!

as you blend, the product changes color...

this is in natural daylight, half blended

this is with flash, half blended as well

with flash, the portion above has now been fully blended

can you see the nice dewy effect? :)

also notice, the slight streaking... will confirm this in full review after i test it

this is all of it blended completely

What do you think? Keep an eye out for full review!

Im going to be fully testing it out for the next week or so before I write my review so that i can really know how well this product works. But so far, im liking it! :) the smell is kind of tropical.. it reminds me of mangos but i know its not lol. has anyone ever tried mangosteen? Being asian, i've tried a lot of "more unique" foods, and this one is actually quite nice! Very sweet and soft, and apparently filled with lots of antioxidants too! :D

The end effect is nice and dewy, but doesnt look like i suffer from excessive oily skin, which is nice :) The coverage is medium and the coloring seems to be a pretty good match for my skintone, but I will do a full review on this and other aspects of the product after I fully test it out :)
Oh, and for my canadian beauties, you know how things always cost more up here? Well, the US retail price of $35 makes a huge jump up to $44 CAD.. bummer eh? :( lets just hope that this was money well spent... lol :)


have a great week everyone!

Tweet My Hunt For A Tinted Moisturizer

Time for a change!

I've used liquid foundations for the longest time.. And to be honest, I don't test out and/or change foundations often.. BUT I've been using revlon's photoready foundation for many months now and am now starting to feel that i may be finally finished a whole foundation!! Don't you just love the feeling of finally using up a product? Haha anyways, So i thought, I should take this opportunity to try something different! A new foundation, or even better, a new tinted moisturizer !



For me, this seems like the perfect timing, springs coming and my skins never been better *yay*, although I still suffer from slight acne scarring, I think a tinted moisturizer with medium coverage will be beneficial :) you know, let my skin breate a bit more haha and reduce that "caked on" makeup look :/ so yup, starting now, I'm on a hunt to find my hg tinted moisturizer!

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Products I have my eye on right now:


1. Origins vitazing SPF 15 Energy-boosting moisturizer

image courtesy of origins.com

This product has received SO much rave I am just dying to try it out! The only thing really holding me back is the price. It retails for around $35 US but in canada, it goes for $44!! I really dont get why its so much more expensive in canada but oh well :( This ones is the one ive been eyeing for awhile, so i think i might go pick it up soon :D Once i do, i'll be right back with a review and of course, to update you on what i think about it!

What the site says:

"This multi-tasking moisturizer handles the vital jobs of hydrating, energizing and protecting to maintain skin's momentum all day. Gives skin the refreshing zing of antioxidant-rich Mangosteen. And adds a healthy hit of radiance that mimics the glow you get from a week's vacation. All in 10 seconds max. Slip it on first thing tomorrow - you'll look like you eat right, sleep tight & don't
have a worry in sight."

2. Laurier mercier tinted moisturizer SPF 20 Oil Free formula

image courtesy of lauriermercier.com

Yet another well raved product, known probably as the 'cult favorite' for tinted moisturizers. It's a tad pricier, ($42 US compared to $35 US for origins) but it might be worth the try! Maybe i'll go swatch some at Sephora and see if i can pick up a sample :)

What the site says:

"Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer is a sheer, lightweight, buildable foundation that can be worn by all skin types but especially those with acne prone, sensitive or oily skin"

3. BB creams

image courtesy of ec21.com

I've tried one in the past, misha's perfect cover with SPF 42+!! I loved the formula and feel of this but felt that the color match wasn't so great.. It tends to, like many other bb creams, have a grey cast. Overall, I did like it, but am now looking for better bb creams so any suggestions would be great!! (they aren't readily available here where I live so I can't really go swatch and test out for myself, therefore, any suggestions would be really helpful!)

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My Skin Basics:
- I have combination skin, meaning i have an oily t-zone but dryer cheeks
- I have minimal acne scarring on the sides of my cheeks
- I suffer from redness on both sides of my cheeks

What I'm looking for:
- A sheer to medium coverage tinted moisturizer that can cover redness
- A light, fresh, NON greasy feeling tm that lets my skin breathe
- A dewy finish is fine. I may set with powder once in awhile
- A tm that blends easily and doesnt require a lot of effort to apply
- A tm that either has a range of shades, or has one that matches me well
- Price is not too big of an issue, but preferably low-mid range :)


Anyways, if you use tinted moisturizers on a daily basis, or just know of one that exceeds your expectations, PLEASE let me know! :D  Thanks and have a great week!