Giorgio Armani Maestro Foundation: Reviews, swatches and before/after!

A little while ago I reviewed the Dior Nude Air Serum Foundation on the blog and I gave it rave reviews because of its weightless feel and watery texture. Simultaneously I've been using the Giorgio Armani Maestro Foundation to compare since they are both in the same league of high end foundations.  While I like the Nude Air one, the fragrance is a bit too strong for my liking and I much prefer the Maestro foundation for a variety of reasons, including texture and length of wear.

Review: Diorskin Nude Air Serum

hellllloooooo beautifuls. 

I know I blogged in close to 2 months! RL got in the way and i've been busier than ever at work but I feel this emptiness if I don't blog because I am continuously trying new products and not getting to properly talk about them. 

One of those "new" things I tried is actually something that came out a long while ago. As in, not new. I got obsessed with serum foundations after testing it out at Sephora one day. Since my obsession a few months back, I have acquired the Dior Serum foundation and the Georgio Armani. GA review to come later.

Diorskin Nude Air Serum Foundation

The Dior Nude Air foundation is extremely weightless, very watery and dries to a powder texture. When I first tried it, I really love the coverage. Dior claims that it is sheer coverage but I thought it was more closer to a medium coverage because it's extremely pigmented for a lightweight foundation. The powder finish gave my skin a non-greasy set. 

 Longevity-wise, it lasts a good 6 hours or so. My skin started looking greasier at the end of the day but it wasn't overly terrible. 

See the powdery finish? Sometimes when my skin is feeling dry, the powder finish isn't actually ideal because it'll expose all the dry bits and bobs but it doesn't bother me much. It also sets really quickly so once you have the foundation layered on, you must work quickly otherwise the foundation will be harder to budge. 

Here are some before/after photos: 

Bare skin. I haven't been having good skin lately. Been dealing with cystic acne as of late -_- 

Dabbed on...now to get to work before it sets!

First layer on

2nd layer on.

Some lipstick - I'm using NYX's soft matte lip cream in Amsterdam.

Changed and on with the day! I just lined my upper eyelids with my Dollywink eyeliner ;)

No mascara, and no concealer needed. The Dior foundation actually covers really well after the 2nd layer.

The applicator is in a dropper bottle (which I LOVE) and I find it to be so cute. I feel as if it's less waste to the pump but I think it's made in a dropper because the foundation has serum in it and will be more runny than your traditional base makeup. 

I have not edited or retouched any of the photos you see here. I actually got a new laptop and haven't had a chance to install the photo editors yet. I apologize if these photos are crap...they're all taken from my phone.

I really like the Dior Nude Air Serum. I would recommend this foundation to anyone who has oiler skin because it dries to a matte powder finish. It also has a strong perfumed scent so it may bother folks who have a sensitivity to it. But if you are familiar with Dior, it's just like all their foundation products. 

Flushed for Dior's Rosy Glow Blush

I debated for months whether or not to get Dior's Rosy Glow blush ever since I swatched it at Sephora. I fell in love with it instantly but I couldn't justify the $44.00 price tag. So for months, I just fawned over it and wore it vicariously through other bloggers (LOL). I decided to pick it up after resigning from my last job as a reward....for resigning -_- (It was tough!) And to celebrate a beginning of a new career! After wearing it for a month, I am very convinced that this is one of the most gorgeous blushes I own.

Rosy Glow is a gorgeous matte bright lilac pink. I can't say it's that pink because it leans toward fuchsia more than pink. 

This blush claims that it has a "brightening" technology that adjusts to your skin's chemistry to make it a universal flattering shade. 

The texture of this blush is flawless. It's finely milled, soft and applies nicely. I love the way it looks, as if you've just taken a run in the cold, all windblown and delicate, and all around feminine. 

One blush that's been in my drawer forever is the RMK Stawberry Pink. They look kinda similar don't they?!? Strawberry Pink is just a tad more pinker, brighter while Rosy Glow is more violet. Both remind me of each other and both (of course) are gorgeous matte blushers. 

Dior Rosy Glow, RMK Strawberry Pink

Overall, I'd recommend Rosy Glow in your collection. I think there's a certain unique factor (aside from the phenomenal packaging!), it is a really pleasing color - bright and cheerful but not overly so. There's a certain subtleness of the 'just pinched' pink glow that looks utterly natural in the most sexy sort of way. Like a gal wearing an oversized sweater sexy - down to earth, delicate, innocent.

Do you own this blush? Is it a must-have? :)

FOTD: Subtle Smokes, Pink Lips

In contrast to my last blog post, this look features a clean canvas - subtle smokey eyes, pink lips, clean skin. 

MUFE F&B Foundation

Chanel Rose Petal Blush

Dior Earth Reflections e/s Palette

MAC Black Track

Loreal Telescopic Mascara

Guerlain Kiss Kiss Gloss in #872

One of my favorite palettes from Dior - earthy and neutral with just the right amount of shimmer to create an ethereal, smokey or classic look

Guerlain Kiss Kiss Gloss in #872 - 

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you had a memorable one.

As per usual, mine included lots of grub. Food eating contest style! O_O

FOTD using Chanel and Dior products

I took a mental health day from work today and decided to stay home and relax (as much as I can, at least) and to catch up on blogs, read, maybe write. Last weekend, I found out my poor cat has fleas... it's frustrating to deal with because those pesky little things jump everywhere and they're gross and I'm paranoid that they're hatching eggs everywhere and going into the electricals and water valves. Pretty soon it'll be a setting for the perfect horror flick. Attack of the Angry Fleas. I'll wake up in the middle of the night from some nightmare (cliche, lol) and of course the power will fail mercilessly, I'll run to fetch a flashlight and find the batteries have rotted. Then I'll panic and attempt to run to find something to illuminate my surroundings right before tripping over cords and knick knacks on the floor. I'll possibly be out of breath by then and the fleas will excrete a toxic airborne fume and I'll be gagging while being dragged, along with my cat, to the fleas who bound together to create a human fly trap. Oh god. I shudder to think of the outcomes after that. Yeah o_o

I'm taking care of the matter as much as I can. Thus, mental health day is needed.

Anyway, I decided to use my Chanel Pro Lumiere foundation today. I've had this foundation for awhile now and I'm surprised I haven't gotten around to reviewing it formally. I've been reading so many Chanel reviews that I figured everyone must've tried it by now! =p Sadly, it is discontinued now but you can still purchase it online.

Before the Pro Lumiere, I was also quite fond of the Teint Innocence (also discontinued). It's safe to say I really love Chanel foundations, but they have a habit to discontinue stuff that people really love! Well, they replaced the Teint Innocence with the Vitalumiere Aqua, which I haven't gotten around to trying yet. I haven't come to terms with the horrible packaging of the Vitalumiere Aqua...ugh. Why replace beautiful glass bottles with a plastic one? They replaced Pro Lumiere with Perfection Lumiere, which I also haven't tried, but eventually will. Hopefully before it gets discontinued. And that is going to be the end of my foundation rant!

Here's the look:







What I used:

Face

Chanel Pro Lumiere Foundation in Limpide/Nude (10)
Dior blush in Passionfruit

Eyes
Dior Mania duo eyeshadow.

This is an oldie. I think it may be one of those gwp things? I can't remember now ;p It's old.

Lips
Chanel lipstick in Ardent (see my review here)

So yeah, that was the look. At home. I hope you're all having a good week. I'm dreading tomorrow already. I'll be 25. Yikes!

What high end brands do you fancy?

Review: Dior Icone Foundation

I am back from sunny San Diego! It was one of the best weekends I've had all year, and probably one of the busiest. Theme parks galore. I am not kidding. I went to Seaworld, the Wild Animal Safari Park and the zoo. All in one weekend. I also ate at Hodad's, Hash House and some other SD hot spots.

Anyway, I wanted to briefly review the Dior Icone Foundation. Actually I meant to review this nearly a year ago. Gah, how time flies! Well, if you continue to read my review, you'll see why it took me so long to properly review it. It's also a discontinued product now, but I'm still compelled to write about it because you can still find these everywhere.

This is a mattifying cream to powder foundation that's conveniently packaged for travel in a twist cap tube. It reminds me of a bb cream. Aesthetic-wise, I always picture Dior foundations in luxurious glass bottles.

The texture of this foundation is light and airy. I'd say it's like between Maybelline mousse foundation and powder in a tube. It goes on completely matte on your face and has decent oil control throughout the day. The scent is the signature Dior smell in all their foundations.

Shade: Linen (21)

The coverage is pretty good, sheer to medium but it's not enough for dark circles or blemishes.

I'm not normally a huge fan of very matte foundations. It looks so flat? But then again, it's a personal preference and many people swear by the MUFE mat velvet+ (review here). I prefer dewier/satin finishes because it makes my skin look more youthful and natural. But the matte finish is perfect for photos and videos. It's a pretty nice foundation, but I suppose it's discontinued now because many women prefer something more moisturizing. Yeah.

Do you have a go-to matte foundation? Or do you also prefer satin finishes? I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)