YSL Top Secrets Instant Moisture Glow Review

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If your skin is dry, you need to prepare yourself for a J Lo level of glow. Really, that super moisturized, glowy but not oily skin? That level of hydration has always been hard for me to get. Previously, my skin was a tad too oily in my t-zone, and over the last year or two I've become drier. I can moisturize all I want, but that glow? It's almost impossible to get that just right level of glow.

Until I tried this stuff.

The YSL Top Secrets Instant Moisture Glow is interesting. It's meant to be a primer for over your skincare. It has a silicone based with glycerin, but feels suprisingly light. It has a light pink color, which goes away completely when applied to your skin. It really feels more like a dry gel, almost like aloe vera. Since it has still been pretty warm out, I've been applying this to my skin right after sunscreen, without another moisturizer, and I give it about 5 minutes or so to really sink into my skin before I add any makeup over the top.

Once the Instant Moisture Glow has sunk into my skin, my skin is pretty smooth and well prepped for foundation. Foundation that I apply over it applies smoothly, similar to other silicone based primers.

Apparently there is some blurring action and it can make your skin looks better, I have to be honest and say I don't see much difference with just this alone. Perhaps if I was 20 and had very few imperfections this would make a big difference for my skin. Alas, I am now 39, and while my skin looks pretty decent for my age, it is not the skin of a 20 year old. So, mostly this smooths out my pores a bit.

The difference really is in how well moisturized my skin is! Currently, it's enough moisture for my slightly dry (though with a sometimes shiny t-zone) face, but I know I can add some moisturizer into the mix as the weather gets cooler and my skin gets drier. It makes the biggest difference on my difficult to hydrate areas, the spots that seem to always be dry and flaky (and therefore look horrible under makeup). Currently that is my chin, but sometimes there are a few spots on my forehead as well.

If I want to really glow, I can add a little bit more of the Instant Moisture Glow over my makeup. It really does add a subtle (and non-sparkly) glow to my skin. It lasts all day long!

You can buy it at Sephora or YSL Beauty

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Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Color Correctors

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I'm a big fan of color correcting skin products (learn how to color correct in this post), and for years I've used a thick cream concealer for correcting from FACE Stockholm. However, since I've somehow managed to use those same pots of product for... about 4 or 5 years now, they're probably a little gross. And using such a thick product underneath my eyes has started to result in caking and it is making me look older than I am. I am only 38. Come on! No creepies when they aren't there yet!

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Review and Swatches: YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lippies Exclusive to Nordstroms

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There's one makeup product that I will consistently splurge on, and that's a lippie. You really can get a much better lip product if you're willing to spend more money. One of my favorite formulas has always been the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine Tinted Balms. They're super hydrating, wear for a few hours, and have just the right amount of tint. The colors have always been amazing, they seem to last forever (I've haven't come close to finishing one yet despite a ton of use), and there's obviously something very luxe and satisfying about clicking one of these heavy, metallic YSL lippie tubes closed.

Recently I lost one of my favorite shades (only for about a day, I found it later), and in the middle of my freak out (which was also related to going on vacation a few days later, I needed that lippie to go with me on vacation), I looked on the Nordstrom website to order a replacement. Where I discovered that YSL had released a bunch of new lip colors that are exclusive to Nordstrom, and I needed some. Yes.

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What Is that Mascara?? Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara Review

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Have you ever gotten a sample of something, and loved it so much that you hoarded that sample like you were Gollum? My Preciousss.... Yes, that's definitely me and Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara. In fact, I've gone through 3 samples of this mascara (it seems to pop up in my Nordstrom orders?) and I have treated all of the mascara samples the same way.

I had a hard time justifying $32 for a tube of mascara when I had a lot of other (also expensive) mascaras that I haven't reviewed yet. I seem to have just stopped all of my mascara reviews for a while, in large part because when I was pregnant, I had to give up my lash serum. And then it took a while for the Revitalash (Revitalash review here) to kick in. And then I went on one big old mascara buying spree (wheee!!!! I have lashes again!) so be on the look out for a lot of upcoming full mascara reviews. With before and after pics even.



Why the obsession? Yes, my lashes are currently long because of the Revitalash, but this mascara definitely adds length. It separates my lashes so they don't look spidery or clumpy (though apparently, that's a thing. Which I'm choosing to ignore.) And it helps my lashes hold their curl.

You can see in these before and after pics (which I want to point out are pre concealer. Also, note to self, find different lighting for mascara pics) that my lashes look amazing! And they look just like this all day long. All day. 7 am to 10 pm.

That is definitely worth $32.


(This pic is here to prove that with proper lighting and concealer, all things are possible)

You can buy Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara at Sephora, Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus.

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Super Lightweight and Super Pigmented? Yes! Yves Saint Laurent Beauty Fusion Ink Foundation Review

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I have to admit, that lately I seem to really love everything (yes, everything) from YSL Beauty. (There are more reviews coming, I promise!)

And since it is the change of season again (how did that happen?), it is once again time for a check of foundation shade. And I have to admit that after reading all about YSL's newest foundation, I was pretty obsessed with trying out their Fusion Ink. To the point that I dragged a mommy friend into Sephora after a quick lunch at Sephora so I could get color matched. With our two little babies in tow. And then when the SA told me that they didn't have a good match for me, I DID NOT CARE. I bought 2 bottles so I could mix them together a little and get the perfect match.

I kind of feel the need to insert a little aside about the color of my skin. I'm very fair, but I'm not quite porcelain. I was once lucky enough to have Celebrity Makeup Artist Jake Bailey do my makeup. Back in the day when he worked with Max Factor. Which hasn't been sold in the US for how long now?? Anyways, Jake told me I was extremely difficult to match, and the only person he'd worked with that was so hard was Julianne Moore. Whoa. Julianne Moore. She had found 1 foundation shade at that time that worked and would buy it in bulk and take it with her to shoots. Jake had to mix a bunch of shades together for me. And I frequently have to just "accept" that foundations aren't a great fit for me. So I was completely unfazed by using 2 different shades. And I was pretty obsessed with the idea of trying out this foundation.



So, the really great thing about this foundation is that it is medium to full coverage in a super thin, lightweight formulation. It is also very easily buildable. The product comes with this little plastic applicator, I can drip it on to the back of my hand because the foundation is just a tad thicker than water. Once there, I mix about 75% Porcelain with 25% Warm Buff to get my perfect match. Then I use my fingertips to pat it on to the areas that I want covered. I wait a minute or so for it to mostly dry before I start to blend, otherwise it seems to smear a bit too much. I've been using my It Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Dual Airbrush Foundation/Concealer Brush (from ULTA) to buff the foundation very lightly.

The result is coverage that is invisible and looks natural! It still looks just as great at 7 pm as it did at 7 am, and best of all it doesn't oxidize to a completely different shade 30 minutes after I put it on.



So, despite the extra little bit of time that it takes to mix together 2 different shades for the right result, I'm in love with Fusion Ink Foundation. And yes, I do admit that I'm taking advantage of the 2 foundation situation to use Porcelain alone as a bit of a highlight and then the custom mix on my cheeks. And I'm often using my contouring shade from the Maskcara IIID Foundation on my nose and under my cheekbones a little.

What foundation are you going to try out this spring? Don't forget to update your color match!


You can buy it at YSL Beauty, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora, or Nordstrom

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10 Best Natural Foundations

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With the advances being made in makeup, it is getting easier and easier to get perfect, flawless and natural looking skin, no matter how what your skin issue. I've pulled together some of my favorite foundations, they range from super light to full coverage, they come at almost every price point, but they all blend out to look very natural.

1. Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup (review): This foundation blends very easily, and you can layer it to go from a light/medium coverage up to full.

2. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer (review): This is the lightest coverage of the bunch, it is super light. This is just enough coverage to even out my skin in the summer time, many of my friends use it when they're tan.

3. L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Makeup: This foundation comes in a great variety of shades and it seems to work for almost everyone. It is a medium coverage but layers to increase the coverage easily.

4. Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation (review): This foundation is a light medium coverage, there's a bit of shimmer to make it more radiant.

5. Too Faced Cocoa Powder Foundation: I just started using this, and it is super easy to vary the amount of coverage with this foundation! Just use a smaller or bigger brush.

6. Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation (review): A medium to full coverage foundation, the coverage can be varied with wetting down the sponge you're applying with.

7. Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation (review): Similar to the Urban Decay, but I think a little lighter coverage.

8. Revlon Colorstay Foundation: This is every makeup artist's drugstore pick, at least from the interviews I conduct! It's definitely a great one to try out is you have combination or oily skin.

9. L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder (review): This is great in the summer, it is super lightweight and when you apply the liquid turns into a very light layer of powder.

10. CoverGirl TruBlend Liquid Makeup (review): This is my favorite drugstore foundation. It blends very easily for medium coverage.


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Makeup Wars: My Favorite Nude Lippies

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I've previously shared great nude lippies, but today for Makeup Wars we're sharing our favorites! I went through my pockets, purses and the top of my vanity to find the products, and shades, that I'm reaching for most often. Because my skin is so fair, I've found that I need to be really careful with light nude shades. Too light or too nude and I look ill. I usually need to add in a little bit of pink to give me a bit of color.

I'm often a drugstore makeup girl, but lately I've splurged a bit at Sephora. What nude lippies are you reaching for lately?

1. YSL Glossy Stain in 106 Beige Anarchist: The YSL Glossy Stains are a great formula and sometime in the last year or so they came out with beige-nude tones. I recommend picking out one that looks darker than your lip shade, they're pretty translucent.

2. NARS Lip Gloss in Belize: Super pretty mauve-pink-nude color, it should work for a lot of skin tones.

3. L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain, Lilac Ever After 185 : I know this is often described as a purple, but it really isn't. I've repurchased this shade 3 times now I think? It is a bit mauve, a bit nude, and just deep enough to look like I have some color but not take over.

4. Maybelline Color Sensation Lipcolor Buffs, Nude Lust: These Maybelline lippies are really hard to find in stock, so I ordered this one on-line. I really like it, and I'm trying to ignore my urge to buy a few more shades.

5. L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Le Balm, Caramel Comfort: Perfect for keeping in your pocket all the time!

6. YSL Rougé Volupte Shine in 10 Chocolate Instyle: It looks darker, but this is pretty translucent and comes across as just the perfect slightly darker than nude shade on my lips.

7. Maybelline ColorSensational Color Elixir Lip Color, Nude Illusion: The Maybelline liquid lips are a bit more pigmented than their L'Oreal cousins, I also like Caramel Infused.








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Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation Review

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I blame today's review post on Cara from Maskcara. I fully admit that I had been eyeing this foundation for a while over at Sephora, but when she posted it in her Birthday Makeup post I finally pulled the trigger.

That's right, I handed over $57 to Sephora for Yves Saint Laurent's Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation. And then I decided that such expensive foundation deserves to have a powder that goes with it perfectly, so I added the $47 Matt & Radiant Pressed Powder. That was a lot of money, and I have say, I'm kind of happy I did it. Ok, not just kind of, definitely happy. This foundation is all kinds of amazing.

First, you should know that finding your perfect match is tricky. There are a lot of shades, and while you'd think Beige 30 is lighter than Beige 40, there are some Rose and Dore options thrown in there so it isn't exactly true (Rose and Dore are minor variations with a very slight difference in undertone). So, I haven't even bothered to swatch it for you here. You too need to spend 15 minutes swatching the many shades on your face in Sephora. But, unlike me, I think you should take your top 2 picks and get a sample from the nice ladies that work at Sephora (they'll put it in little plastic cups for you, did you know that? You can take it home!) and you should definitely take it home and check it out in natural lighting situations. (Here is where I ask why Sephora is lit like a nightclub. Why is it so dark in there?)

Why all of the color testing? When I put this on, I swear that I can watch the color oxide and get darker on my skin almost immediately. What I pump onto the back of my hand is definitely different from what I'm blending in a few minutes later. Luckily it does have pretty light coverage and blends really easily. I'm ok with my match, but I think getting a good match is hard with the oxidation.

Currently I use just a little of the foundation in the center of my face and it does blend out onto my skin very well. It hides imperfections, but it doesn't seem to look like I have any foundation on my face. It just makes my skin look better. Similar to Touché Eclat, it has illuminating ingredients to help bounce light around, and I do think that the foundation makes me look more glowy, but I can't really comment on it any further. I don't shimmer or look like I have highlighter all over my face, which is great!

I've mostly been using the YSL powder with the foundation, and I am sooooo happy I found this powder! It definitely keeps my skin looking powder free (I love using a powder and not looking like I have any one), but it also keeps my combination skin shine free until around dinner time, when I finally start to look a little less than matte. That's pretty much unheard of for me, especially without reapplying. I've been keeping the compact on my vanity counter, but I think I'm going to buy a second one to carry in my purse this summer.

What makeup have you splurged on lately? Are you as happy with your purchase as I am?

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YSL's Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain and the Animated Film

YSL is releasing a new kind of lippie that promises to be a stain, gloss and lipstick hybrid. As part of the promotions, they've released this cute little animated short that I just had to share!

YSL Beauty

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Concealer Series: Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat

I admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for all things YSL. I went to Paris a few years ago and stayed just blocks from his apartment. I swear I could see him walking down to the corner market (the same one used by the Barefoot Contessa), though I seriously doubt he ever did that. He had people.

Regardless of my soft spot for YSL, I have to admit I still do not know why this product is always mentioned as the ultimate under eye concealer. I really don't think it is a concealer, really this is a soft highlighter/light diffuser that helps to distract from anything going on under there. I do like that this is so subtle that you don't look in the mirror and say "oh, look, there is shimmer under my eyes." Instead it's just there. Quietly doing its job.


Consistency: Liquid, it comes in a tube with a brush applicator. Click to dispense product.
Blendability: It is blendable, but be careful if you layer it over other products as it can disturb them quite a bit. I've had good luck using it over Shu Uemura, though the concealer I used has since been discontinued.
Buildable coverage: No
Feeling on skin: Lightweight
Wear: Can't tell
Problems with wear: None
Shades Available: 7 shades, I used 01


Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat

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YSL's Parisienne, the Fragrance for the Girl that Adopts Paris

YSL has just released their new Parisienne fragrance. This frangrance was created for the girl that isn't from Paris, but rather has adopted the city. I want that girl to be me! I love Paris. I want to go back sometime (my amazing husband says he'll take me). I want to wander the city and just take pictures of every street I see. I want to buy crepes from the street vendors, and I want to sit in a café for hours and drink coffee.

YSL describes Parisienne as a "grand floral with a woody structure," which I definitely have to agree with. The fragrance is predominantly a floral with the Violet and Peony notes taking center stage on me. The blackberry adds a bit of fruitiness without being overly sweet and there is just a touch of sandalwood and patchouli. Overall it is feminine, slightly mysterious and very sexy. I love it!

Top notes: Vinyl Accord, Cranberry, Blackberry
Heart notes: Damask Rose, Violet, Peony
Base notes: Patchouli, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Musk

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