Review: Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation

So what exactly is a No Foundation Foundation? According to Perricone, it's suppose to be "an age-fighting makeup that provides natural coverage and nonchemical SPF 30 protection." Basically, it's a fancy and expensive tinted moisturizer. I paid $55USD for this little baby and I plan on using every last bit of it.

The product comes packaged in a beautiful amber glass bottle, which I must say looks beautiful on top of my makeup stand. It contains one fluid ounce, which is standard for most tinted moisturizers and foundations. There is a pump to dispense the product, making it mess-free and easy to use. One of the downsides of the No Foundation Foundation is the lack of color choices. They currently only have two shades, fair and light to medium. I have the light to medium and you will see from the swatch that it is a tad too dark for me currently. So instead of just keeping it in my drawer, I have been mixing it with my MAC Face and Body foundation to create the right shade. Another factor that may persuade you from buying this the scent. To me, it smells citrusy and doesn't bother me at all, but I've read several reviews that people find this to have a fishy smell due to the DMAE ingredient in it. So my advice to you is to smell it in store before you decide to purchase it. 

Now is it truly amazing? Yes and no. For those who have clear, normal to dry skin, this will be amazing. I have dry skin in the winter and this provides a beautiful dewy finish. It smooths out lines and reduces the appearance of pores. I have noticed with continued use, my skin does feel better and smoother. Perhaps it is the anti-aging ingredients, DMAE and alpha-lipoic acid in it. Now for people who have oily, acne prone skin. This may not be for you. It will make you very dewy (aka oily) and will not provide the coverage needed to conceal scars and dark spots.

The best way to apply this is with your fingers. I know, some of you are probably thinking how gross that is, but using my fingers to apply my base makeup is one of my favorite methods (aside from the Beauty Blender). I've tried using it with a brush but it applies streaky and I have to blend it in with my fingers anyway. With the BB, it tends to absorb the product regardless how damp the sponge is. 

Overall, this "no foundation foundation" is a winner in my book. Perhaps the only things that will stop me from repurchasing is the price and the fact I can only use it for half of the year since my skin does change during the summertime.

Pros:

-Anti-aging properties

-Classy packaging

-Great for those with dry skin

-SPF protection (non-chemical)

-No parabens

Cons:

-Lack of color choices
-Expensive
-Coverage

Click here to purchase

Favorites: November and Mid-December Hits

I think I say this every month, but gosh these few months have flown by. I can't believe we are less than ten days away from Christmas! Have you gotten all your shopping done yet? For the first time in a while, I have to say I'm pretty much done with the exception of a few little extra gifts I need to get. Before I know it, it will be 2014. Wow!

Anyway, I decided to include both November and my current December hits because I have been using the same things constantly. I am also testing out some other new items for review, so that's why my favorites are also so few. I also think I have so few because the products I have can create a natural but flawless face.

Totally photobombing with my reflection lol

NYX Gloss in Creme Brulee: This has again made it to my favorites. I can't get enough of this stuff! It mutes my lips just enough without washing me out and I am totally digging the scent. If you want to read my full thoughts on this, check out my review here.

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer: I picked this up during the Too Faced Friends and Family sale and I have to say I am really enjoying this. My skin gets very pale during the colder months and this is a great for adding warmth. If I concentrate it, it is also a nice contour since its not shimmery or orange.

Hourglass Ambient Powder in Diffused Light: This is so pretty. Just everything about it is pretty, the packaging and the result it gives. I use this as a setting powder all over my face and it just gives such a nice glow without looking oily or greasy. It is pricey so if you want to try it, ask for a sample first before you commit.

MAC Soba eye shadow: I don't know why I didn't add this to my repertoire a long time ago. This is great for a perfect wash of color on my lids. It creates a subtle, smoky eye that is great for everyday. I think this shadow is also great for adding depth for more dramatic looks.

So that's it for my favorites! I hope everyone is staying warm!

First Impressions: Naked 3

I'll admit, when Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette came out, I was a it hesitant to purchase it. When they stated it was more of a rose-gold, cool palette, I was a bit wary. Cool toned pinks never look right on my complexion. In fact, I either look like I have pink eye or I got punched in the face. Neither are good looks in my opinion.

However, I succumbed to purchasing it, especially after my friend, LC raved about it. It also didn't help I was bombarded with tweets and YouTube videos of the palette as well. So when Sephora sent me their VIB giftcard for 20 dollars off a 50 dollar purchase I jumped on the opportunity to pick this little palette up. In the end, instead of spending the original price of $52 USD, I got this palette for 36 dollars and some change after taxes.

Now is it money well spent? As of right now, I have only used it once and swatched the colors. I will admit they are very, very pretty and of course with the choice of 12 colors, there are endless looks you can achieve with this. I will say that I do not look like I got punched in the face this palette which makes me very happy. Haha, I know, what standards I have. Seriously though, this palette is suitable for most, if not all skin tones. I have to say, the colors do evoke a romantic sort of feeling to it.

The packaging is lovely, though I do wish that they did change up the tin case a bit. The embossed top is quite pretty and adds a bit of snazz to the packaging. I have to admit that even though the first Naked palette velvet box is a magnet for dust and lint, I loved it and wish perhaps they went back to that route. It's not a major factor when it comes to the quality of the shadows so I'm too not worried about it. In the end, it still looks nice among my makeup stash.

As for pigmentation and quality. Urban Decay never skimps on their shadows but some of the colors in this palette do have some fallout. Dust and Buzz are the two biggest culprit when it comes to fallout. Otherwise the quality of the shadows are excellent and the assortment of matte/satin and shimmery shadows can please most people.

If you are a fan of Urban Decay's Naked line, I'm pretty sure you will be a fan of this palette. If this is your first time looking into the one of the Naked palettes, I would suggest this palette because it is more unique than the other two palettes. However, if you are not a rose-gold or cool-toned shadow person, I would suggest the first Naked palette.