Review - Rimmel Fix & Protect Makeup Primer

So, I have been trying to get more into using a primer under my makeup these days as I know it's supposed to make your makeup go on a lot smoother and stay looking fresh for longer. But, as it's just another extra step in this very time-poor working mum's routine I have to admit that I do usually skip it and go straight to applying my foundation first - naughty me!

Since receiving this Rimmel Fix & Protect Makeup Primer to try out I have definitely been making more of a conscious effort to use primer before I apply the rest of my makeup. This primer has the same floral scent as the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation which I quite like and it contains very tiny, shimmery particles which make my skin look luminous and glowing once it is blended in.

The Rimmel Fix & Protect Makeup Primer gives my skin a nice and smooth texture when applied and it makes my foundation feel like it just glides on over the top so easily.

I have also found that wearing this primer on its own with just a bit of pressed powder over the top gives my skin a flawless and smooth look when I am having a good skin day and I don't feel like wearing a lot of makeup.

This primer has an SPF 25 which always makes me happy too as I love having added protection on my skin on sunny days.

I have to admit that I don't really notice too much of a difference in the longevity of my makeup when I am wearing this primer, but it definitely make application easier and adds a glow to my skin that isn't usually there. For these reasons alone I am trying to make sure I don't skip the primer step even when I am in a rush.

Have you tried this Rimmel Fix & Protect Makeup Primer yet? What other primers are you loving right now?

Have a great weekend (or as great as you can if you are getting drenched on the east coast of Australia like me with all this rain!!)

Michelle xx


**This product was provided for consideration but my opinions are all my own**

Mirenesse Pore Perfect Cover Air Mousse Primer

Yep, that's a mouthful and a half for a name isn't it? From this point on I will refer to this little gem as 'Pore Perfect' to save my delicate fingers.

Mirenesse Pore Perfect is a skin perfecting multi-purpose mineral foundation and pore perfecting primer in one. I purchased this a couple of months ago and have been using it most days ever since.

It has a lovely, light 'mousse like' consistency that is so easy to blend onto the skin for a flawless look all day.

I have been very into minimal makeup looks during summer and have been lucky to have had my skin in the best condition it has been in for a very long time. Therefore, this little tube of goodness has been pretty much all I have been putting on my face instead of foundation when I feel like I need a little bit of extra coverage than just some tinted moisturiser and powder.

Pore Perfect really does live up to it's name and definitely does a great job of covering my pores and smoothing the surface of my skin. It makes my skin feel a little like velvet after being applied and amazingly lasts all day without caking into fine lines or making my skin greasy.

As far as I can tell it only comes in the one shade which is a perfect match for my pale skin tone. It's virtually undetectable when blended in properly which I love.

My only gripe is the size of the packaging that it comes in. It's a tiny 13gm tube that does go a surprsingly long way but a tube in double the size would seem a little bit more practical to me for an all over face product.

Has anyone else ever tried Pore Perfect?

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

Michelle xx

Disappointment of the Month - Mirenesse Flawless Revolution 24hr Skin Corrector

As this is only my second ever Disappointment of the Month post, you know that I don't give up on a product easily. Unfortunately, I am at a complete loss with this one and feel I'd be doing the public a disservice by not mentioning it.

(So pretty, but so useless!)

I have to admit, I bought this product for the eye candy factor originally. I thought it looked so pretty and decided I had to have it. As you are aware I have a bit of a soft spot for Mirenesse products and have loved virtually everything of their's I have tried so far but I just could not get my head around what this one was supposed to do.

The Mirenesse Flawless Revolution Antiageing 3 in 1 24hr Skin Corrector claims to be a multi-tasking skin corrector with revolutionary Chromafusion Technology to instantly perfect and correct skin colour and texture.

It's made up of 4 different creams swirled together which all work (supposedly) as follows:
* Clear - smoothes pores and lines
* Lemon - corrects darkness
* Peach - corrects dullness
* Green - corrects redness

Now, no matter how I apply this product, I can't get it to either stay on my skin or look anything other than like snakeskin. When I rub it in I get one section to look really good (the instructions are very strict that you have to only apply it to one section of the face at a time) but then as soon as I try to apply it to another section, if I accidentally go anywhere near the bit I just applied it starts to rub itself away and then clumps on my skin and overall becomes impossible to work with.

Also, it makes my pores look huge!! It seems to sink into them which makes me look like I have little white-filled craters all over my face. Not a good look!

The last straw is the fact that not a single foundation I own will go over this product without clumping and/or rubbing it off and causing an awful mess on my skin. It's just so hard to explain, but think of it the same way as if you just applied fresh filler to a hole in a wall and didn't let it dry properly before trying to paint over it. The filler bunches in with the paint and starts to flake off the wall all over the place - well that pretty much what happens every time I try to apply foundation when I'm wearing this product.

The end result is usually me giving up and washing my face and starting all over again with my old faithful primers.

I've never been so frustrated with a product in my life!

Here is an example I tried to capture of the snakeskin effect and how it highlights rather than smoothes my pores:

(Yuk!)

 

(Extremely exaggerated pores!)

 

 

So yes, this product is unfortunately going in the 'Do not use unless absolutely desperate or I feel like punishing myself' pile until I can bare to part with it (It's certrainly not that cheap at around $69.50 a bottle, or $55.60 for VIPs). If it wasn't for the pricetag, it would be going straight into the bin, but I feel some sort of need to keep trying to work with it until I just can't even look at the prettiness of it anymore to try and justify how much I paid for it.

 

So, so sad.....

 

Has anyone else ever used this product before? Is there a special trick to using it that I just don't know about?

 

Michelle xx



Dr Lewinn's Skin Perfect Anti-ageing Primer

I was lucky enough to receive this primer to try as part of the Beauty Heaven trial team and couldn't wait to start using it.

What the product claims:
'Dr. LeWinn’s Skin Perfect Anti-ageing Primer is for instantly silky and smooth skin. The anti-ageing primer allows make-up to glide over skin and prepares the complexion for a long lasting base. Its lightweight formula contains Evermat™ technology to visibly reduce the appearance of pores and absorb excess oils, without over-drying. Skin is left clear, glowing and hydrated.'

This primer comes in a heavy frosted glass bottle which seems kind of luxurious to me. It has a pump dispenser that gives just the right amount of primer to cover the entire face in one go.

It goes on like a nice light moisturiser and has a scent that isn't too overpowering which I think is great.

It sinks in super fast and makes my skin feel lovely and smooth prior to foundation application. Once it's sunk in my foundation applies like a dream and my skin looks almost flawless as the majority of my fine lines seem to just disappear.

This primer has become my go-to primer lately as it's just so lovely to use. I can't comment on the anti-ageing claims though as I haven't really noticed any long lasting differences in the way my skin looks in that department. It does seem to smooth out my fine lines when applied and stops my foundation from sinking into them too which is a bonus.

Has anyone else tried this primer yet?

Michelle xx

Mirenesse Haul

So I did it! I joined the Mirenesse VIP club and as soon as I received my first voucher I was online faster than you can say 'Discount!'

I'm extremely happy with what I ordered and it only took three days to arrive with free postage. Win!

Here's what I got for my first VIP order:

1) Spring Racing Pack - This contained the Pore Perfect Cover Air Mousse Primer, the Crystal Colour Drops Hydrating Mineral Powders and the Viva Eternal Gloss in Show Girl. The mousse primer is unbelievable and I think it will become a favourite product of mine and the Mineral Powders is a very good competitor to my Napoleon Ultimate Contour Palette. The lip gloss is a really pretty pale pink with a hint of sparkle.

2) Lip Bomb in no. 9 - This is an amazing lip product that is kind of like a hybrid between a lipstick and a gloss. It seems to be very similar to an OCC Lip Tar in consistency and colour payoff and this one is a bright apricot/pink shade. My only gripe is that Mirenesse give these a number instead of a name. I prefer products to have names so you can relate to them better. Is that weird?

By purchasing the above products I was entitled to receive two freebies and from the selection they gave me I chose the Cheeky Blush in Russian Rose and a sample of the Eclipse Age Defence Daily Face & Neck Mineral Balm. The blush is so gorgeous and I don't want to ruin the pattern on it by using it! I've used the balm once so far and really like it. It also contains an SPF15 which is always a winner with me.

Overall I was super pleased with what I got in this order and am looking forward to trying it all out properly. Next month I think I might have a go at ordering some of their skin care products as I'm curious to see what they are like.

Michelle xx

October Addictions

I surprisingly had quite a few products that I reached for often during the month of October. Due to being so stressed and strapped for time I had a tendency to use pratically the same products every day which is unusual for me as I have a tendency to get bored when I do that.

Here is what I loved using during the month of October:

I was mainly sporting a more neutral 'no-fuss' face during October and the above items were all awesome products that didn't require much effort to use.

1) Eyeshadows - B Collection by Bloom in Sahara Desert and Almay Intense i-colour in Trio for Greens. The Bloom eyeshadow is a no brainer soft coppery brown that is excellent as an all over the lid colour on it's own but also looks great with a little green or purple added into the crease from the Almay palette on days when I could be bothered making a little more effort.

2) Mascara - Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes. I love the way this mascara make my lashes look a mile long but I don't love the black smudges that end up underneath my eyes at the end of the day after using it.

3) Eyeliner - Models Prefer Kohl Pencil in Matte Black. Such a simple eyeliner pencil but it works wonders. It goes on so smooth and easily with no pulling at all and doesn't budge all day or night. Another quality product from this great brand.

4) Primer - Dr Lewinn's Skin Perfect Anti-ageing Primer. I will be posting my review of this soon but needless to say I love it and use it every day. Thank you Beauty Heaven for allowing me to trial such an awesome product!

5) Foundation - Maybelline Fit Me Foundation. The main reason I love this foundation is because it suits my skin tone perfectly which means I can be a bit quicker with my application of it and don't have to be pedantic about blending it in within an inch of its life. It gives me good coverage as well without being too thick and stays in place all day.

6) Face - Napoleon Ultimate Contour Palette. I've reviewed this palette here and it hasn't left my bathroom vanity for over a month now. Totally in love with this product and how quick and easy it makes contouring and highlighting my face.

7) Concealer - Mirenesse Icon Sealer. I have grown to love using this as my undereye concealer as it covers my dark circles excellently and doesn't end up sinking into my fine lines as the day progresses. It's the perfect shade for my skin tone as well so takes minimal effort to blend in. Anything that saves me time in the mornings is a big plus for me!

8) Lips - MOR Lip Nectar in Lychee Flower and ELF Lip Shine in Candlelight. I have been a definite gloss girl during October as it's easier to maintain with minimal effort. The MOR lip nectar is one of the best lip glosses I have ever used and I am in love with the subtle pink flush it gives my lips and the way it seems to stay on for hours. The ELF gloss was a very happy surprise that I got in one of the monthly beauty packs and is such a great nude that goes with anything. It also stays on for a surprisingly long time too.

So that's my list of favourites for the past month. Nothing too exciting but they were products that definitely made the month a lot easier for me.

If you've done a favourites post I'd love to know about it!

Michelle xx

Review - MeMeMe Cosmetics Seventh Heaven Facebase

I received a deluxe sample pot of the MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Enriched Moisturising Facebase in a previous BellaBox and have grown to absolutely love it. I was always a bit lazy when it came to using a primer as it just meant another thing to make me take longer when getting ready in the morning but I actually look forward to using this one now.

A little info about this product:
"Rich yet lightweight, this Moisturising Facebase is enriched with Shea Butter, Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene to rejuvenate, noruish and hydrate skin. Active nutrients and extracts work to brighten, smooth and even out skin tone to prime and create the perfect base for makeup application.
Lightly scented with a zest of lemon, orange, lime and mandarin -this is a little piece of heaven you will want to treat your face to every single day!
Apply daily prior to makeup application or wear alone for radiant heavenly skin."

I love using this product in the morning, mainly because of the citrus scent. It is just so uplifting and when I'm tired and really just not in the mood to face the day the scent of this Face Base seems to wake me up a little bit and make putting on my makeup a more enjoyable excercise.

It's a very lightweight cream that sinks in virtually straight away and makes my foundation apply a lot smoother and more even. I've noticed that my foundation seems to stay put for longer when I apply this first as well.

Also, a little seems to go a long way so you only need to use a small amount to cover the entire face nicely.

I am now contemplating ordering a full size pot of this and have been perusing the MeMeMe Cosmetics website for ideas on other products of theirs to try next as well. The Goddess Rocks bronzing rocks seem to keep drawing me in so I may just have to also make them mine.......

Has anyone else tried anything from MeMeMe Cosmetics lately that they like and recommend?