Lakme 9 to 5 Primer + Matte Powder Foundation Review, Swatches
Hi guys,
Today I am reviewing the new Lakme 9 to 5 Primer + Matte Powder Foundation, it’s a new addition to their 9 to 5 Primer + Matte range after the lipsticks. If you have not seen the lipsticks review, see HERE.
Claims: Introducing the new Lakmé 9to5 Primer + Matte Powder Foundation, the brand’s first ever powder foundation that comes with an in-built primer. The product gives you the best of not both, but three worlds, with benefits of a primer, foundation and compact all in one to give you that flawless matte finish on your face.
The Lakmé 9to5 Primer + Matte Powder Foundation is the ultimate product for today’s multitasking woman, with its ability to eliminate elaborate make up routines. The in-built primer gives you a strong base that blends effortlessly and conceals fine lines, while allowing you to get even and buildable coverage, all while giving you the picture-perfect long lasting matte finish.
The best part? It comes in six new shades, made to suit every Indian woman. What’s different about these shades, is that there 2 New Shades for the 1st time in the Lakme face rage, that are best suited for deeper skin tones. It’s ‘THE’ product you need to add in your everyday beauty bag! Whether it’s work or travel, this is your ideal beauty buddy.
MRP: Rs.600/- for 9g
Shades Available: 6
Rose Silk
Ivory Cream
Silky Golden
Natural Light
Honey Dew
Natural Almond
First of all, I absolutely love the rose gold compact. The packaging is very pretty. It has a mirror and a puff, the base has small holes for the air to circulate and puff to breathe and not catch any bacteria.
The only thing I would say is it doesn’t close tight and the powder is very, very soft, so it would break easily. I am not sure how travel friendly it is, also make sure you handle it well. It would break if dropped even once.
The texture is very, very creamy and silky. The powder is very finely milled and gives a decent coverage. It needs building up for more coverage, but doesn’t look heavy or cakey at all. Also doesn’t give a white cast or cling to patches or make the skin completely flat matte! Which I often notice in other powders.
I am in love with the texture and formula. It is definitely long lasting, coz of the primer part in it. It stayed put through the day, only touched up T-zone once during the day. It did not fill in the lines and pores though, that can be done only with a liquid primer + liquid foundation.
But I love how comfortable it feels on the skin, I definitely recommend it! Also loving the variety in shades launched this time. Usually Lakme has just 3-4 shades in compacts, they have launched 6 shades with 2 specifically for deeper skin tones. And 2 have pink undertones while 2 have yellow undertones, so they have taken care of all skin tones majorly.
I do have a giveaway on my Twitter where you can win this powder foundation, you can follow me on twitter HERE, if in case you would be interested 🙂
Let me know your thoughts on this powder foundation, in the comments below.
It’s a pretty floral print bag and quite thick and sturdy. Goes perfect with the Spring Theme
Products I got:
Sugar As Nude As It Gets SPF 15 Compact- Rs.699/-
Ayorma Radiance Glow Deep Exfoliator 10g
Hedonista Fresh Face Scrub 25ml
Sand For Soapaholics Heavenly Dew Bathing Bar- Rs.275/- for 100g
Sugar’s new launch, the Compact Powder is a part of this month’s bag and you get the full sized compact. It comes in 3 shades and I chose the mid shade 02 Cappuccino. I like the matte black packaging, it’s quite sturdy. It comes with a sponge and a mirror.
Ayorma Exfoliating Scrub looks a little abrasive, I won’t use it for my face. But if you use walnut based scrubs, you will like it.
I loved the Hedonista Fresh Face Scrub with Strawberry and Coconut extracts. Smells refreshing and nice, this one is mild enough to be used on the face.
Sand for Soapaholics soap looks really pretty and again coconut based. Spring theme has all coconut based products, so apt.
Total value of all the products in this month’s bag comes to around Rs.1300/- I would have liked one more product in the bag ideally.
If you want to try the new Sugar Compact, then you can go for this month’s bag.
I have a 10% off discount code for you all. You can use ‘NLM10‘ during checkout to get 10% off on 3, 6 and 12 months’ subscription. It’s valid till 30th April.
Faces Ultime Pro Second Skin Foundation, Pressed Powder & New Matte Lip Crayons Review
Hi guys,
So Faces recently added 11 new shades to their already 12 existing shades in Ultime Pro Matte Lip Crayons and I have 4 of them with me. There are some very pretty nudes and I have all 3 of their nudes.
Also they launched the Ultime Pro Primer, Second Skin Foundation and Pressed Powder. I have been using the second skin foundation and powder since quite some time now and here are my thoughts..
Claims: FACES Ultime Pro Second Skin Foundation with its new breakthrough color technology is an ultra-lightweight, liquid-to-powder formula that works like magic on your skin. A serum based foundation, it is super luxurious on your skin and has anti-ageing properties. It gives seamless adjustable coverage and a natural matte and velvety smooth finish that looks and feels like your own skin. As it melts into your skin like a serum, the result is a noticeably brighter more youthful appearance. Available in a unique packaging with a glass bottle and dropper, and in four shades of Ivory, Natural, Beige and Sand, FACES Ultime Pro Second Skin Foundation matches specifically with the Indian skin tone and comes with SPF 15.
MRP: Rs.1499/- for 30ml
Faces Ultime Pro Second Skin Pressed Powder
Claims: A powdery finish compact makeup, Faces Ultime Pro Second Skin Pressed Powder creates even-toned skin instantly, delivering natural finish to your skin. Step out confidently into the sun as Ultime Pro Second Skin Pressed powder comes with SPF 15 feature, protecting your skin throughout. With an incredibly luxurious texture, medium coverage and being light weight, it is perfect for your daily makeup. Choose your shade as this pressed powder comes in four different shades of Ivory, Natural, Beige and Sand.
MRP: Rs.899/- for 9g
Both the foundation and powder come in black and silver packaging, the packaging is very classy and nice. Especially the powder with the silver band at the center giving it an asymmetrical look.
I was pretty excited to try the foundation as it is serum based and very thin yet promises good coverage. It comes in a glass bottle with a dropper exactly like serums.
The foundation is very thin but not very runny like water. It spreads easily on the skin and I need just one drop to cover my entire face. You can always build it up and since it is very thin, it doesn’t look cakey at all anytime.
It blends really nicely with fingers without giving a streaky finish. In fact, I would suggest using fingers for this as the brush/blender would soak up some product and you anyway need very little product with this. You might need 1.5-2 drops if you use a brush or blender.
As you blend it through the skin, it gives a matte, powdery feel and evens out the skin tone really well. It gives a velvet matte finish as claimed and you wouldn’t even need to set it with powder. However for the very same reason, you need a rich, hydrating moisturizer underneath this or it will cling to all dry patches.
It has SPF 15 and is mineral oil free, hence non comedogenic and wouldn’t clog pores or break you out.
I love how just one little drop covers my entire face and gives medium coverage, it is full of pigment and covers pretty well. Though if you looking for full coverage, you will need an additional layer.
Since it is very thin and natural looking, it photographs really well. It doesn’t feel like foundation at all since it is super light weight and I am using it almost every day currently. Only reaching out for this foundation.
It is expensive though and also not very travel friendly coz of the glass bottle packaging. It would have been great if Faces had 2 more shades in this, since these 4 shades are not enough for all skin tones.
I have the shade ‘Natural’ and I was confused between Natural and Beige, thankfully Natural works perfect for me.
I have the pressed powder too in the shade ‘Natural’. I absolutely love the travel friendly and handy packaging.
The powder comes with a separate compartment on top for the puff and the steel like mirror finish on both the sides of the compartment, below the puff and in the 2nd compartment above the powder. The powder is very, very smooth and silky to touch and gives decent coverage. The coverage is good enough for people with fairly decent skin for everyday use. It mattifies the skin well, and still doesn’t feel dry.
One drop of the serum foundation and the pressed powder on top, and I am good to go with the base. That equals pretty good coverage.
Pressed Powder, Foundation both in ‘Natural’
I definitely recommend the powder, the price point is decent too. But again, more shades would have been better.
I would love to see a serum like concealer in this same Second Skin Range.
Coming to the new shades in the Faces Ultime Pro Matte Crayons, the packaging, pricing, etc. is the same. You can check the detailed review on these HERE.
MRP: Rs.799/- each
Pigmented and creamy, and give a nice matte finish. These are very comfortable to wear but will accentuate fine lines, so make sure you exfoliate and moisturize lips well as with all matte lip products.
Last time they launched many bright shades and I was longing for some nudes. And this time they have many nudes and I can’t be happier! 😀
I love the color coordinated packaging and they all come with a separate sharpener as well.
Pink Pout is a neutral warm carrot pink, very everyday/wearable pink.
Blushing Nude is a dusty mauve
Spiced Latte is a cool toned brown
Cashmere is nude peachy brown, can see the peach in it compared to Spiced Latte
I absolutely love all four and especially the three nudes, I won’t be able to pick one favourite. Cashmere is a must have though, perfect everyday shade.
MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation NC 41 Review
By Linda
Hello Ladies,
Again I’m back with another review of a MAC product that is a highly recommended and belongs to the Studio range of collections. The sales assistant helped me out in picking the closest shade[NC 41] for my yellow toned medium to fair skin.I would recommend you to first try a suitable shade yourself before purchasing since these are high end products with varieties of shades and what you buy should be worth the money . I read many good reviews of this product due to its dual performance as a foundation plus powder hence made up mind that I’m definitely purchasing this product.
What MAC Claims: A one step powder and foundation that gives skin a smooth, flawless, all matte finish with medium to full coverage. Long-wearing, velvety texture allows skin to breathe.
Packaging
Packaging consists of a classic MAC black compact case which has a built in mirror, the compressed product (in the mid section) and a third compartment where a sponge applicator is stored. A convenient packaging which can be carried easily where ever you go. What I like about the packaging is the separate compartment for the sponge applicator [please excuse my sponge since I haven’t washed it since I purchased this product ,Yes bad me !!] .In most of the compacts, the applicator is kept on top of product due to which the excess product is picked by the applicator when not in use hence forth the waste of product.
Cost: 2290 INR for 15 g
My take on MAC Studio Fix Powder plus Foundation [Shade NC 41]
As I applied this product on my well cleansed and moisturized skin, the first thing I noticed was my pores vanished in seconds. The powder is fine and so soft that it blends easily into the skin. The biggest bonus in this product is the sponge applicator. I found the applicator to be of a very good quality .I have been using this product for more than a year and the sponge is still intact. In fact I use this sponge for blending my other liquid foundation and it gives me a flawless finish.
On application of this product the oiliness on my skin did vanish giving a medium coverage to my skin. It does not seem to look cakey at all and even does not highlight the dry patches on my skin. The product lasts for around 5-6 hours on my combination skin. After which I do a touch up on my T zone. What I noticed is, it doesn’t completely cover the dark spots and minor blemishes and dark circles [hence medium coverage].
I have used this product alone most of the time, but somehow I feel a liquid foundation would help in giving full coverage along with a concealer and a flawless finish .As I mentioned earlier it doesn’t give a cakey look even after layering several products on the skin and it even does not flash on photographs. It just feels like a second skin.
A drawback I noticed was when you use a sponge applicator, it picks up more product than usual hence you tend to finish your product sooner. So in that case a blending brush is always helpful.
The product I’ve been using is almost over but it hasn’t broken as yet since it is fine milled and compressed well into the container. Hence no product wasted.
TIP: Dampen the sponge applicator a little with water and apply the product on to your skin. The product lasts on skin for a considerable longer time than usual and controls oiliness too. [Based on personal experience].
Definitely this is a multipurpose product that can be used alone or along with a liquid foundation which gives a flawless finish.
Pros:
Diminishes pores within seconds
Doesn’t give a cakey look
Photo friendly
Controls oiliness giving a matte finish
Can be used alone or along with a liquid foundations
Highly recommended for oily skin
Travel friendly light weight packaging
Long-lasting product
Cons:
Heavy on pockets
Medium coverage
Works better with liquid foundation
Rating: 4.5/5
Would I recommend MAC Studio Fix Powder plus Foundation? Yes definitely I would recommend since it’s a multipurpose product.
Editor’s Note: I would like to add one thing here, it broke one of my friend really bad every time she used it. So I would recommend trying it out first 2-3 times at the stores and see if it suits your skin, before investing in it. If it works for your skin, then it is indeed a great powder with very good coverage.
Have you tried the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation?
Maybelline White Super Fresh Compact Powder Shell Review, FOTD
Hi guys,
I have been using this Maybelline White Super Fresh with Pure Perlite 12 Hour Whitening + Perfecting Compact Powder (wow, that’s quite a mouthful) since the past 2-3 days and here is my review..
What the Company claims: How does White Super Fresh stand out compared to all you other compact powders?
– It lasts up to 12 hours.
– No dabbing, washing or touch-ups necessary.
– Keeps you fresh and fair throughout the day.
– Absorbs sweat and doesn’t let your skin get patchy. – Available in 3 shades for your skin tone: Pearl (Light to Medium), Shell (Medium) & Coral (Medium to Dark). – Priced at Rs.150.
– Has Pure Perlite and UV Filters
– Dermatologist tested and suitable for everyday use
Here is my review on Youtube too..
It comes in this white compact packaging with a mirror and a sponge. The sponge has a rubber finish on one side, so it can only be used through the one cotton side.
I have the shade Shell which is meant for medium skin tones. I am glad that it has yellow undertones, by the name ‘White’ going on the compact I was not very sure. But thankfully it matches me perfectly and does not give a whitish cast.
It has a soft floral smell which is quite pleasing. The packaging is sturdy enough and the mirror and sponge make it very travel friendly. It gives light to medium coverage which is buildable i.e one swipe will give you light coverage and going over 2-3 times will give you medium coverage. But it won’t hide your acne scars or dark circles which means you will need a separate concealer for that.
And even though I use a rich moisturiser, it does accentuate my dry patches. The powder is very finely milled and smooth but it not very creamy, though it it not very dry and powdery kinds too, somewhere in between.
Coming to the staying power and no touch up claim, it does stay put thoughout the day but I need to touch up my oily T-zone once after 5-6 hours as it gets slightly shiny. One slight touch up and I am good to go through the day. If you have dry skin, you won’t need any touch ups and if you have oily skin, one touch up and you will be sorted. It does the mattifying job amazingly well and oil does stay away from your skin through the day.
It blends seamlessly and merges with your skin tone and it actually keeps the skin looking fresh throughout the day.
The only con I would say is it doesn’t have sunscreen protection, but then we don’t rely on compact powders for sunscreen protection anyway. Also I am not sure how the other two shades are and if the darkest shade Coral is a match enough for all skin tones, but I believe 4-5 shades could have been better. I am not very pleased with the ‘Whitening’ claim too.
Here is the shade ‘Shell’ on me, I only have this compact ON and no other base..
The best part is the price and quantity, at Rs.150/- and 8g of product, it is by far one of the most economical compact powders right now.
Overall, I would say it’s a very nice budget compact and perfect for oily to combination skin. It does it’s job of keeping oil at bay very well. If you have dry skin, you will need a rich moisturiser with this. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Quality: 4/5
Value for money: 4.5/5
Availability: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Would I buy it again: Yes
Have you checked out or tried the new Maybelline White Super Fresh Compact Powder yet?
L’Oreal Paris Mat Magique Compact Powder Review, Swatches, FOTD
Hi guys,
L’Oreal Paris India is on a roll and launching a lot of new products, the latest being the Mat Magique Compact Powder. Just 2 months ago they launched the Infallible range which had the Infallible 24H Powder Foundation too. And now a new range of compact powders 😀 Well, we are not complaining 😉
What the Company claims: With 5 shades, specially created to suit Indian skin tones, Mat Magique compact blends smoothly into your skin to give an impeccable coverage without looking cakey. At a special price point of just Rs. 399, L’Oréal Paris Mat Magique compact is easy to apply and frees you from touch ups, every time you decide to go out. The new compact from L’Oréal Paris is also enriched with SPF 34 PA+++ to help protect your skin from the sun and make it look blemish free, healthy and radiant all day long.
INNOVATIONS & INGREDIENTS
Mat Magique compact – It’s the Matte that does it all! Infused with Volcanic Perlite Minerals Mat Magique compact lets you stay shine-free, worry-free, and flawless for 12 hours.
I have the shades G2 Golden Ivory and N6 Nude Honey which are like the closest match for me, G7 Golden Amber is the darkest shade and N2 Nude Vanilla is the lightest.
At first, I love the transparent and pink round packaging, it looks pretty on your table or in your bag too. The bottom base is also transparent and you have the mirror and a round, white thick sponge in the lower compartment. Now the mirror being in the lower compartment and the product on upper, it would be a bit of a struggle to take the sponge and go up and down again and again. Outside India, it had a rectangular packaging with sponge and powder on each side and mirror on the front.
L- Golden Ivory, R- Nude Honey
I am glad that the shades are all warm and suitable for Indian skin tones! Most of the products including the previous Infallible 24H Powder Foundation were a bit light and gave a strong whitish cast. Thankfully, these ones match Indian skin tones perfectly and do not look white or ghastly at all.
L- Golden Ivory, R- Nude Honey
And SPF34 PA+++ is the highest protection I have seen in a compact powder yet! Kudos to L’Oreal Paris for adding in such high sun protection factor.
Coming to the coverage and staying power, it gives light to medium coverage which is perfect for daily use. It stays on for quite a few hours and absorbs oil and shine for almost 5-6 hours and keeps it at bay, thanks to the Volcanic Perlite Minerals. Post 5-6 hours, you notice a bit of shine but not too much, just a touch up with this and you are again sorted for few hours.
It is not very powdery or not too drying, but it is not creamy either. If you have dry patches on your face and you use this compact without using a moisturiser, then it will cling to the dry patches. But in a hour or two, it won’t feel dry coz it balances with the skin’s natural oils.
The price point of Rs.399/- is amazing!! Absolutely happy with L’Oreal Paris to keep the price low, it is one of their rare 2-3 products that are priced below Rs.500/- 😀
And coming to the shades, I have Golden Ivory and Nude Honey. Golden Ivory is slightly light for me and Nude Honey is slightly dark. But these powders oxidize a little bit during the day and hence Golden Ivory settles to match my skin.
Here are the swatches..
L- Golden Ivory, R- Nude Honey
I am wearing Golden Ivory here.
Wearing Golden Ivory
Overall, I am very happy with these compact powders. They have everything you could ask for in a compact from coverage to staying powder to keeping oil at bay to sun protection to the perfect shades and price. Highly recommend them! And they would work for all skin types.
Rating:
Quality: 4/5
Value for money : 4/5
Availability: 4/5
Overall rating: 4/5
Have you tried the new L’Oreal Paris Mat Magique All In One Transforming Powders?
Bioderma Photoderm MAX Mineral Compact SPF 50+ Review
What the Company claims: 100% mineral and compact MAXimum photoprotection
For: Sensitive or sun-intolerant skin
Very fair skin with freckles
Skin allergic to chemical filters
Weakened skin, sensitive to UV rays (after a dermatological procedure)
Pigmentation problems
Benefits: Guarantees optimum UVA/UVB protection against the harmful effects of the sun (sunburn, etc.)
Combats premature cutaneous ageing and prevents the appearance of brown spots
Evens out the complexion and reduces blemishes for an immediate healthy glow effect
Soft, non-greasy, non-sticky texture, easy to apply. Powdery finish
Excellent tolerance.
Product + :
Case fit with a mirror and a sponge: CONVENIENT and COMPACT
SPF 50+/UVA 24
Fragrance-free
Paraben-free
Preservative-free
Resists water and perspiration
Photostable
Non-comedogenic
Hypoallergenic
The combination of mineral anti-UVA/anti-UVB screens in Photoderm MAX Compact offers both optimum protection against the harmful effects of the sun (sunburn, sun intolerance, etc.) and excellent skin tolerance.
Instructions: Several times a day – When exposed to the sun
Apply evenly and liberally before exposure (a smaller amount of product reduces the level of photoprotection). Re-apply frequently, before and after swimming, rubbing and playing sports.
Ingredients:
MRP: Rs.2500/- for 10g
I have been using this mineral compact sunscreen since quite some time now. This one is in the shade ‘Teint Claire- Light Colour’. I have only seen the other shade ‘Gold’ in white packaging but I am not sure of the shade.
I love the bright yellow packaging, appropriate for a sunscreen! It comes in a compact form with mirror on one side and a white sponge in the compartment down.
It is in cream form and you need to take the product on the sponge and apply it liberously covering your entire face, remember the less product you use, the less sun protection you would be getting. It is very easy to apply and blend. It settles on the face in sometime and does not leave any greasiness. Also, a few sunscreens make me sweat a lot, this did not! If you have oily skin, you will need to powder it of course coz this is cream based.
The only problem is the shade, it is very light and has a pink/grey undertone, so I need to use my skin shade compact powder on top to balance and match the color. But using a compact works and it does not look stark white later one. It will even out your skin tone and redness and the compact will mattify and give some coverage. So the combination of this sunscreen and a compact powder can be a perfect everyday combination which is what I have been using every single day.
I love the fact that it is Fragrance-free, Paraben-free and Preservative-free, and also water and sweat proof. It gives a very high sun protection of SPF 50+ and also protects from UVA rays. It also protects from sun burn and tanning. I haven’t tanned ever since I am using it.
Overall I would say, I absolutely love it and recommend it. It is slightly pricey but then it will also last a long time since it is 10g. It is available online on Nykaa and Purplle. The only problem is the shade, a compact is required to match it to skin and oily skin will definitely need a powder to set it.
Rating:
Quality: 4.5/5
Value for money : 4/5
Availability: 3.75/5
