New Foundation Obsession: Lancôme Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Compact Foundation

I Bought It Myself Affiliate Link



I'm sure you've noticed all the excited about cushion foundations. I feel like there's always at least one mention in my Facebook timeline whenever I'm on there. Admittedly, this is probably in large part because I follow so many blogs and beauty/fashion magazines on FB. Cushions are kind of new, but not really. The foundation that they hold is pigmented and basically the same super lightweight stuff that we've seen for the last few years, but in a much easier to use form.

And I have to admit, Lancôme Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Compact Foundation is my latest obsession for summer. Which is good (yeah! I love it!), but also bad because now all the other products I've purchased and spent money on are just sitting there. Live and learn, right? Unfortunately, this foundation is a bit expensive. I thought long and hard before I bought it, but it was well worth it.



You can see the compact comes with a small application sponge, which sits over the foundation in the center. The flap completely seals in the foundation so that it won't dry out. You can buy refills of just this section for about $8 less than an entirely new compact. Inside you'll find the sponge which is saturated with the foundation. I've only had the products for a little over a week, but I've heard there's enough in there for months!

I bought the foundation in 110 Ivoire C, which is the lightest shade. It is a great match for my skin!

I watched Lisa Eldrige's intro to the makeup for the Lancôme YouTube Channel before using it for the first time. You can see how she kind of rolls and swipes it on to her skin.


I apply the foundation similarly to Lisa. I use the included applicator (and obviously I had used it before taking these pics, I couldn't wait for a sunny day!), I dab it on to the foundation and then pat it onto the center of my face. I do roll it a bit, though I don't swipe it on. I let it sit on my skin for a minute or two so that it dries a little, and then I've been blending it by buffing with a brush like the ULTA/It Cosmetics Airbrush OMG! Foundation Brush #106 pictured above with the foundation, or It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection Brush #7. Then I'll dab a little with my BeautyBlender Sponge (from Sephora or Nordstrom) on any not quite perfect areas.

I can add a second layer of foundation to any problem areas if I want more than the medium coverage that is already there. For most days that is enough coverage, though I admit that there are days that I need to use concealer on my under eye area as well. In the image below I have no concealer on, despite being up in the middle of the night multiple times with the baby!

The foundation only takes a few seconds to blend until it gives me perfect, natural coverage. It lasts all day! This picture of me was taken after about 7 hours of wear without any touch ups, it still looks perfect. This is definitely a foundation worth splurging for!


You can buy Lancôme Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Foundation at Lancôme, Nordstrom, Macy's, or Sephora.

I Bought It Myself Affiliate Link

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My Favorite Eye Makeup Removers

Product Sent for Review Affiliate Links Bought It Myself



Eye makeup removers tend to be one of those things that I buy a lot of. I want to test all of them, and I know that the perfect one is out there!

I'm pretty picky about eye makeup removers. My ideal eye makeup remover would make everything melt off my eye and be quickly removed with just a quick rinse. No cotton rounds or follow up cleansers needed. I have to be honest, I have not found a cleaner that does all of that, so mostly I settle for quick acting and removing all of my eye makeup.

Today I'm sharing the ones that I've liked in the last year or so, but you can also check out my post on the favorite eye makeup removers of beauty bloggers if you're looking for more ideas!



1. Coco Loco (at Etsy, my Coco Loco review): You can check out my review for the full details, but this is probably the closest remover to that "ideal" eye makeup remover that I mentioned. It is solid in the jar, but melts with the touch of a finger. I don't even need a cotton round to remove all of my mascara and eye liner, just a little rubbing with a fingertip. I do follow this up with a regular facial cleanser to remove the coconut oil that is left behind.

2. Avène Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover (get it at Drugstore.com or Dermstore): This clear gel removes everything immediately upon contact! It rinses off fully and easily.

3. Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover (at Nordstrom or Lancôme): This is still my "gold standard" of eye makeup removers, so I compare all other eye makeup removers to this product. I can remove even the most stubborn of waterproof eye makeup without any problems.

4. Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil (at Drugstore.com or ULTA): A new favorite, I think I'm on my 4th or 5th bottle of this cleanser already. It's meant to be used just as a facial cleanser, but I use it with a cotton round to easily remove all of my eye makeup. Like the Coco Loco, it does leave an oil residue behind, which I clean off with a more traditional facial cleanser.

5. H2O+ Aqualibrium Dual-Action Eye Makeup Remover (from H2O+ or Beauty.com): This eye makeup remover is very, very similar to the Lancôme Bi-Facil at a lower price tag.

6. Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover (at Target or Drugstore.com): This is really just a normal face wash, but it does a decent job of removing all but the most stubborn waterproof eye makeup, without using a cotton round! It's great for days that I'm feeling a little lazy since it saves me the eye makeup remover step.


Did I miss your favorite? What do you reach for every night to remove your eye makeup?

Don't forget to check out the favorite eye makeup removers of the other Makeup Wars Bloggers!

An InLinkz Link-up

Product Sent for Review Affiliate Links Bought It Myself

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Get the Look: Jessica Chastain at the SAG Awards

Jessica Chastain looked great at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, as usual. She looked so simple and just... naturally pretty. I love that!

Her Makeup artist Kristofer Buckle simply defined her look and gave her soft red lips.

Products Used:
• YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat in B40
• NEW Lancôme Blush in Peche Joue-Joue
• Giorgio Armani Eye Brow Defining Pencil
• Lancôme Color Design Eye Shadow in Filigree and Snap
• Lancôme Liner Design Gel EyeLiner in Black Fishnets
• Lancôme Hypnôse Star Mascara
• YSL Rouge Volupté Shine in Rouge in Danger

Jessica's hair was a little too simple for this event and dress in my opinion. But that might be because I feel like this was the perfect opportunity for some really great braiding in a half up/half down style. Though, that could have been a tad too bridesmaid-ish for the Red Carpet. I just want to see Jessica's hair like that!

Jessica's hair was styled by Renato Campora using Vidal Sassoon Pro Series.

Here’s how Renato created Jessica’s look:

1. First start by prepping wet hair with Boost & Lift Foaming Air Mousse for lightweight volume.

2. Then spritz Heat Protect & Shine Spray to protect hair while blow-drying it.

3. Blow dry hair with a round brush until it’s dry. Then, part the hair on the side to give hair extra volume.

4. Using a 1 ½ inch curling iron, curl the ends for 10 seconds and remove for a soft wave. Once the hair cools, brush the curls out with a thin comb to soften the look.

5. To finish, spray a brush with Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Extra Firm Hold Hairspray and smooth back the hairs around the face. Finally, mist with hairspray to hold hair in place while leaving it with lots of natural movement.

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Get the Look: Kerry Washington at the 2013 Golden Globes

Kerry Washington was one of my favorite looks of the night! Again, the long bangs that I love, the nude color of her gown just seemed to really, really work with her skin tone. She’s classic and chic and just… fresh and modern all at once. She did it right!

Kerry’s look was created by Lancome Makeup Artist Carola Gonzalez and John Frieda celebrity hairstylist Marcus Francis.

Face
Carola applied Lancome’s Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation in Suede N 450 to even out Kerry’s skin tone. Next, blush in Pommettes D’Amour was applied to her cheeks.

Eyes
Lancome Color Design Infinite 24H Eye Shadow in Evermore Lake was applied to her lids with an accent of Mochaccino in her crease. Artliner in Smoke was used on her lash line and Hypnose Star Mascara.

Lips
Georgio Armani Lip Maestro in 500 Blush


Hair
1. Spray Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray throughout wet hair and comb through to distribute the product evenly.

2. Blowdry hair straight. Take a flat iron and straighten hair section by section--the heat of flat iron will activate 3-Day Straight, to ensure sleek style that lasts all night long.

3. Smooth Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Crème throughout hair to give a smooth, shiny finish.



John Frieda
Lancome

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Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara Review: Does Lancome Hype Equal Amazing Volume?

Sooo.... how 'bout dem Lancome mascaras? Pretty amazing, heh? I swear every time I turn around I hear about how amazing they are. I've tried them before, but since they often are for things I don't need more of (any more length and my lashes will be permanently stuck to the inside of my glasses), I usually ignore them. Plus that whole thing with the vibrating of the wand? I fell for it and ran to my local counter, only to get a mascara that was kind of blah. And expensive.

On a recent trip to Sephora, I went to look for the Doll's Eye's mascara that everyone loves. And got distracted by this one, which seem REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT VOLUME. (It is "the ultimate instant-volume mascara for lash drama") So, I grabbed it instead.

The first thing that you'll notice about this mascara is the shape of the wand. It's a bit flattened and it has this strange curvy S shape. The bristles also stick out a bit at some wonky angles, though I believe this is on purpose. It took a while to get the hang of it, but the idea is that the S curves around with your lid, letting you hit more of the lashes at once.

I found that this bristles hold on to a lot of product, and you'll want to blot it gently with a tissue before application or else this can get pretty messy! After the light blotting I found that it was a pretty clump free mascara and did help with some nice volume, though it wasn't a lot of volume. There was some length, but not a lot. And the curl seemed to depart towards dinner time.

I'd put this mascara in the "nice" category, but I have better ones that cost less. I'll continue to reach for my LashBlast when I want lots of volume.


Note that this mascara comes in a dark grey from Lancome and their counters. It appears that the color I have, Excessive Black, might be a Sephora exclusive? Not sure, but it appears to be only from Sephora on-line and when I double checked my local Lancome counter only had the grey.
Lancome

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Formal Looks: Mila Kunis at the SAG Awards

Mila's amazing smokey eye was done by makeup artist Tracey Levy for Lancôme.

Face
• Teint Miracle Lit-from-Within Makeup
• Blush Subtil in Sheer Amourose

Eye
• Color Design 5 Pan Palette in Midnight Rush
• Color Design Eye Shadow in Volcano
• Le Crayon Khôl EyeLiner in Black
• Hypnôse Drama Mascara in Excessive Black

Lips
• L’Absolu Rouge Lipstick in Rich Cashmere
• La Laque Fever Lipshine in Hotness


Drybar owner Alli Webb has some great tips on how to achieve Mila's romantic curls!

• Dry your hair using a medium-sized round brush (always start in the front!) and don't worry if your hair is a tad frizzy when you are done. Your 1 inch curling iron will smooth it all out.

• Take one inch sections and work all the way around your head - I recommend sectioning your hair into 4 large pieces and curling one section at a time so you don't miss any hair!

• Curl away from your face, on both sides. End with a light spray shine and twist


The Dry Bar
Lancome

Image courtesy of Lancome, Wire Image

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Formal Looks: Sofia Vergara Golden Globes 2011

Makeup artist Kayleen McAdams for Lancome created an amazing cat eyed look for Sofia Vergara.

Face
• Absolue BX Makeup
• Blush Subtil in Rose Fresque

Eyes
• Le Crayon Poudre in Brunet (brows)
• Artliner in Aubergine
• Color Design 5 Pan Palette in Coral Crush
• Définicils High Definition and Hypnôse Custom Mascaras

Lips
• L’Absolu Nu in Sheer Mousse

Lancome

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Formal Looks: Lea Michelle Golden Globes 2011

Makeup Artist Melanie Inglessis for Lancome created Lea Michelle's look for the Golden Globes, and she spilled the beans on what products were used to create the look.

Face
Effacernes Waterproof Concealer
Tropiques Minérale Loose Bronzer
Blush Subtil in Sheer Amourose

Eyes
Color Design 5 Pan Palette in Taupe Craze (incidentally, I hadn't seen this palette until I was putting this post together. I might need to visit my nearest Lancome counter soon to pick one up!)
Hypnôse Custom Volume Mascara in Black

Lips
L’Absolu Rouge Lipcolor in Exotic Orchid
La Laque Fever Lipshine in Chromed Pink

Lancome

Photo Courtesy of Lancome

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Formal Looks: Amy Adams Golden Globes 2011

I have to admit that it took a long time for me to warm up to Amy Adams. Why? Because I first saw her as the icy sister that you love to hate in The Wedding Date and she was so good in that roll that I couldn't separate her from it for a while. I like her quite a bit more when she's a red head (something about being more approachable, and having the same hair color as my own sister who is quite a bit nicer than Amy, thank you very much).

I loved her entire look at this year's Golden Globes, and luckily I have the lowdown on her makeup, her chignon and even what exact color her colorist used to give her this perfect hair color.

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Formal Looks: Mila Kunis Golden Globes 2011

Makeup
Lancome Celebrity makeup artist Tracey Levy made up The Black Swan’s Mila Kunis for the Golden Globes this year. Her goal was to have Mila look fresh and effortless, with a touch of Audrey Hepburn.

Face
Teint Miracle Lit-from-Within Foundation
Blush Subtil in Sheer Amourose

Eyes
Color Design 5 Pan Palette in Coral Crush
Color Design 5 Pan Palette in Teal Fury
Hypnôse Drama Mascara in Excessive Black

Lips
L’Absolu Nu in Coral Ribbon


Hair
Mila's french twist was done by TRESemmé Celebrity Stylist, Mara Roszak, who shared the steps to recreating the style on your own. Just Jared has some more pics of Mila at the Golden Globes.

• Spray TRESemmé Naturals Finishing Spray on damp hair and rough blow dry to add body
• Section off top half of hair and apply TRESemmé 24 Hour Body Root Boost Spray to give hair lift at the crown
• Blow dry top section, pin curling from front to back to add wave and texture
• Pull the bottom section of the hair back tightly and gather as if you are creating a ponytail
• Twist hair upward starting at the nape of the neck and insert pins in a crisscross pattern at the crease
• Undo pin curls on top section and tease at the root
• Brush top section backward and tuck underneath French twist
• To set hair and provide a lasting hold, spray TRESemmé TRES Two Extra Hold Hairspray
• Finally, to soften the look, gently loosen hair around hairline and ears

TRESemmé
Lancome

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Lancome Spring 2011: Ultra Lavande

This spring Lancome's collection is pretty lavenders and pinks with pops of metallics. Some of the items are super pretty, read on to see some of my favorites!

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Lancôme's New Mascara, Oscillation!

Check out the newest mascara from Lancôme! It appears to have a brush similar to many of my current favorites (like Lancôme's Definicils High Definition and Cover Girl's Lash Blast).

But, what really sets it apart it, of course, oscillation! Believe it or not, the brush oscillates 7,000 times a minute and is said to provide a 360 degree application of mascara around each lash.

I love the idea of a 360 application, though I admit something moving that quickly next to my eyes is a bit nerve-wracking. What do you think, could you try it out? I think I'll be picking it up as soon as the mascara is released!

Lancôme

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Pixel Pink- Yet Again!

Are you tired of my talking about Pixel Pink yet? Maybe someday I'll stop talking about it. But, not for a while! The lipstick is now available in stores (Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus counters and the five Lancôme boutiques: Manhattan (212.362.4858), The Mall at Short Hills, NJ (973.258.0790), Northpark Mall in Dallas, TX (214.750.9364), Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara, CA (408.244.8334), and Brea Mall in Brea, CA (714.671.0267)

Yesterday I went to my local Newport Beach Neiman Marcus where I bought two (yes, 2!) backups for myself. I can now wear it forever!



Update: The movie doesn't seem to want to work allof the time, but here's the link. It's really a very cute 3 minute video about how the lipstick was created.
Video on YouTube

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Lancome Aqua Fusion Lotion, SPF 15

If there's one thing that Lancome (and their parent company, L'Oreal) know how to do, it is to create a good product. Seriously. They own amazing companies (like one of my favorite skin care companies, Kiehl's), and they know how to invest their money.

Well, they didn't disappoint with this moisturizer. It is smooth and silky, and when you apply it to your skin you can feel it sinking in and it just feels amazing on my dry cheeks. It doesn't sink 100% into my combination skin however, I do have a small amount of residue on my t-zone afterwards. I think if my skin was a tad drier, or it wasn't 85 degrees out for the past couple of weeks here in Orange County, this would not be the case. I intend to bring this moisturizer with me for Christmas when I go home to Michigan. In the cold I tend to be a bit drier and need a bit of extra moisture, and I think that this would be perfect! For now though, with 1 blot of a tissue on my skin before application of my foundation, I'm perfect!

One of my favorite things about this moisturizer is that it does have SPF 15, I love getting my sunscreen in my moisturizer. I haven't completed my review of sunscreens yet (expect that in the next couple of months, I'm still doing a prelim literature search), but all of the research I'm doing has shown me that Ombrelle (another L'Oreal company!) and Lancome are the ones to beat in terms of their sunscreen. Pending that review, I love that this lotion tells you exactly what the sunscreen is, so store this bit of info away for later.

Active Ingredients:
• Octinoxate 7.5%
• Titanium Dioxide 1.7%


We'll take a closer look at the first couple of ingredients listed for this lotion. For reference, you can re-read the moisturizer post.

Ingredients:
• Water
• Cyclohexasiloxane (a silicone, this is likely why it feels so silky)
• Glycerin (humectant)
• Stearic Acid (found in animal and plant fats, this helps to emulsify, thicken, bind, and stabilize lotions and creams as well as create a "pearly" effect)
• PCA (humectant)
• Alanine (an amino acid)
• Tocopheryl Acetate (an occlusive)
• Sucrose (a type of sugar, not sure why it's here)
• Lactic Acid (an alpha hydroxy acid)
• Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate (yup, that same stuff they advertise on tv to help your knees. It seems to be found in a huge number of lotions. The only reference I could find on-line said it was often a "starting point" for lotions and other cosmetics)
• Phenyoxyethanol, Atelogollagen, PEG-100 Sterarte, Arginine, Triethanolamine, Calcium Gluconate, Silica Dimethyl Silyate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Mannitol, Zinc Gluconate, Manganese Gluconate, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Serine, Threonine, Disodium EDTA, Histidine Hydrochloride, Lysine Hydrochloride, Cetyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Citrulline, Aluminum Hydroxide, Glutamic Acid, Blue 1, Glyceryl Sterate, Glycogen, Fragrance

Looking at the ingredients, you can see that there are a few humectants and an occlusive within the first 10 or so ingredients of the lotion, which is always a good sign. As well, no ingredients from the list of potentially irritating ingredients appear, and the fragrance is listed last!

I really do enjoy using this lotion, and I think it's worth recommending to anyone who doesn't have oily skin. Next time you are looking for a new lotion, check this one out!

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Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover

Have you noticed that I'm starting to obsess over eye makeup removers? I read somewhere about the amount of eye makeup that dermatologists can see under a woman's eyes that we didn't even know was there, and they said something about the buildup contributing to dark circles. That was enough for me to start testing them like crazy!

A long time ago, I had a Lancome eye makeup remover. It came in a little white tube, I believe it was a gift with purchase item. Lancome discontinued that product long ago for a good reason, it really only smeared stuff around. Because of my experience with that product I had been resistant to trying Lancome eye makeup removers. I should have tried this product years ago, truly. There is a good reason it is one of their best sellers and has won so many awards from Allure and Glam.com.

This is an amazing eye makeup remover. It is the only one I've tested that completely (and easily at that) removes the incredibly difficult to remove Revlon 3D Mascara. This product has 2 phases, and needs to be well shaken before use. A little bit on a cotton pad, rub it across your lid and voila! All makeup is easily on the pad and no longer on your eye. No residue is left behind either.

In case you're wondering, this does work better than the much cheaper Boots Eye Makeup Remover. Is it worth the extra $16? That depends on your eye makeup routine. If you wear a lot of eye shadow, eye liner or any waterproof mascara, I would say that the upgrade is well worth the money.

Look for it on-line or at a Lancome counter near you!

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Lancome Color Fever Shine Lipstick and Gloss

I love trying new lip products. I bet if you go and look in my purse right now you will find no fewer than 10 lip products including balm, gloss, liners and of course lipstick. I will try nearly any product, from spending $2 on a NYX gloss to over $20 on a department store lipstick. I'm not even likely to use a product consistently throughout the day, I'll switch around as my mood changes. What this means is that not only do I have a lot of lip products, but that I'm also very picky about them. Which is probably why a lot of my favorites are from Lancome!

The new Color Fever Gloss is Lancome lip gloss at its best, truly. This is yet ANOTHER Holy Grail Lip Gloss. Perhaps I need to come up with some tougher criteria, because I think I'm declaring too many glosses to be holy grail. Regardless, this one meets all of these criteria:
1. Great color Honestly, there is a huge collection of colors to chose from. The colors are opaque to translucent with shimmer or creme. There's a flattering color for everyone.

2. Portability. The wand in this gloss is slightly bent (which does really help with application), and it's wider at the base of the wand, allowing you to easily apply more gloss where needed.

3. Good smell/taste.

4. No stickiness.

5. The formula needs to be hydrating and soothing to my lips.

The Color Fever Shine Lipstick is equally fantastic.

This lipstick glides on easily, feels smooth and silky once on your lips and is pretty long wearing. When applied, then blotted and reapplied I had at least 6 hours of wear. The lipstick is shiny, not quite gloss shiny, but enough that you won't feel the need to apply gloss over it. This lipstick comes in 16 different shades, which means there is one for everyone!

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