The Fair Foundation Files and My Take on a Classic Look for Spring

The extensive testing process is over and I have come to a lot of conclusions about Rimmel's Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in shade 010 Light Porcelain (retail $4.99 at Ulta, but I received it complimentary from Influenster).

So, what does this wunderkind have to offer us?

• Cheap price tag at around $5 depending on location
• No added fragrance as far as I can tell
• Totally matte
• Fun mousse texture
• Lots of light shades

It claims to offer 'lightweight shine control' as well, but we will get to that claim.

The texture of this is a mousse and is very fluffy, so you will think you need more when you actually don't. A little goes a long way---a lot gets cakey fast. This can be used with fingers, a BB, a flat brush, or a round foundation brush. I have tried all methods and they all basically work the same.

Here is me wearing Stay Matte in Light Porcelain all over my face. It almost covers my hardcore cheek hormonal blemishes, but a little dab of concealer fixes them right up. I just wanted to show you with only this product.

You really need to moisturize and prime well. Even if you have oily skin, this will get into every pore and every fine line. But if you prep well, this can have great results.

My results have been nothing less than spectacular. For over a week, this foundation (Clinique moisturizer and primer underneath) has keep me completely shine/oil free for 12-15 hour days. I have worn this during busy work and school days and I also wore it to a 95 degree day at the Huntington Library (for you non-Californians, it is beautiful, but mostly outside and was hotter than the sun that day). No shine whatsoever. 

But before you go running out and buying this, I have a few words of advice....

This may work for me, but I feel this will probably be a seasonal product for me. It takes a ton of prep time for me to look flawless with it (I have larger pores and my cheeks run drier). Also, I do not see this as 'lightweight'. It certainly isn't heavy, but I would say you can feel it on your skin.

Also keep in mind that this tends to oxidize in my experience about half a shade. If you have a chance, try a test patch on your skin first. Ulta let me return the first shade I bought before the Influenster box with no problem (that shade was Light Ivory, the next one up from this, and ran too yellow).

Overall: If you are drier on at least 50% of your face or have a lot of fine lines, this might be a nightmare for you. Oily girls...grab this and throw away your blotting linens forever.

Now, onto the fun stuff...I decided to make a look for Influenster and @RimmelLondonUS for the #StayMatteSwitch movement.

This is my twist on a classic look---for Spring! Substituting my normal red lip for something pinker and of course, matte skin!

What I Used:

1. Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in Light Porcelain ($4.99)

2. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Creamy Natural ($4.99)

3. Clique Cheek Pop blush in Peach Pop ($21)

4. Benefit They're Real Mascara ($23)

5. Josie Maran Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon in Fair ($20)

6. Nude browbone shadow from Wet N Wild 'Drinking a Glass of Shine' Palette ($4)

7. NYX Collection Noir Liquid Black Liner ($5.99)

8. Benefit Gimme Brow in Light/Medium ($22)

9. Lipstick Queen Chinatown Glossy Pencil in Chase ($22)

This is a routine I rely on for early morning to still feel fun and fresh

1. Prime, get that foundation on your face---any way you like---and then conceal!

2. Set with powder

3. A little blush on the apple of your cheeks. Something dewy works well!

4. Curl lashes and apply mascara

5. A nude matte wash of shadow on your lid is simple and a no-makeup look

6. A liquid liner baby cat eye keeps things classic

7. A hint of brow keeps things looking put together

8. And a glossy coral pout keeps things fresh!

What is your go-to Spring look?

Wet N Wild: Drinking A Glass Of Shine

The second Wet n Wild holiday shadow collection I was able to get my hands on was 'Drinking a Glass of Shine'...did I have as much luck with this one? We shall see...

I thought this one looked interesting because it is mattes! But mattes are certainly hard to pull off...

The first four shades on the left are a matte white (browbone), a matte dull green (eyelid), a slightly less dull ocean blue (crease), and a plum/purple (definer).

None of these are very pigmented, but I guess that was to be expected from a matte Wet N Wild $5.99 palette. But usually Wet n Wild blows me away with their pigmentation!

Maybe I am just being a bit picky...after all, I would only use most of these as crease colors anyway and build them up. They apply smoothly, but do get patchy once on the skin.

To see the other half of the shadows...click the jump!

These shadows are a light matte nude (browbone), a orangey clay color (eyelid), a deep cocoa (crease) and a matte black (definer). This side of the palette did not fair much better.

As you can see (even though this isn't the most clear picture) they look faded and cloudy. That is because they are! Hard to apply and need a ton of layering.

Well, Wet n Wild can't have a hit all the time I guess. Oh well!

Final Thoughts: Skip this, as cute as it looks!

Price: 8/10
Packaging: 8/10
Staying Power: 7/10
Wearability: 4/10
Quality/Branding: 6/10

 

Total: 33/50 = D = Sad Panda!!

 

Are you as disappointed with this palette as I am? Do tell!

 

xoxo PrettyPanda

Wet N Wild: Drinking A Glass Of Shine

The second Wet n Wild holiday shadow collection I was able to get my hands on was 'Drinking a Glass of Shine'...did I have as much luck with this one? We shall see...

I thought this one looked interesting because it is mattes! But mattes are certainly hard to pull off...

The first four shades on the left are a matte white (browbone), a matte dull green (eyelid), a slightly less dull ocean blue (crease), and a plum/purple (definer).

None of these are very pigmented, but I guess that was to be expected from a matte Wet N Wild $5.99 palette. But usually Wet n Wild blows me away with their pigmentation!

Maybe I am just being a bit picky...after all, I would only use most of these as crease colors anyway and build them up. They apply smoothly, but do get patchy once on the skin.

To see the other half of the shadows...click the jump!

Wet n' Wild: Sparkle 'Til Morning

The holidays are coming up, and it is never too early to start thinking about stocking stuffers or fun little gifts for your friends. Wet n' Wild's new Coloricon collections are all the talk right now--and you should believe the hype for Sparkle 'Til Morning!

 

It has 6 nicely sized shadows housed in a flip-up case for $5.99, which is a steal!

 

 

Sometimes, the Wet n' Wild combinations are a bit weird, but this one seems to work! I do like how they are labeled for a complete eye look if you are in a hurry.

 

 

Here are the first four shades. The are buttery, have zero fall-out, and are high-shine.

 

 

From top to bottom: The browbone color is a shimmery cream highlight; the eyelid color is a true gold sheen; the crease is an antique copper; and the definer is a teal that leans very blue on my skin.

 

Check out the other half after the jump!

 

 

The other half of the shadows are a little more neutral--giving you two very different looks in one nice little package!

 

 

These work together very nicely, and create a pulled together, office appropriate look in minutes!

 

 

The browbone color is a neutral, shimmery sand; the eyelid is a slightly warmer gold than the other eyelid shade; the crease is a warm toned sable; and the definer is a dark brown with pink and gold shimmer.

 

Final Thoughts: One of the best purchases I have made in a long time! This will be my staple for a while--I can feel it. The application is amazing (even better than shadows in UD's Vice, which is sad).

 

Price: 9/10

Staying Power:9/10

Packaging: 9/10

Color/Wearability: 10/10

Quality/Branding: 10/10

 

Total: 47/50 = A = Pandamonium!!

 

What do you think of this new holiday release? I am in love with it!

 

xoxo PrettyPanda

 



Wet n' Wild: Sparkle 'Til Morning

The holidays are coming up, and it is never too early to start thinking about stocking stuffers or fun little gifts for your friends. Wet n' Wild's new Coloricon collections are all the talk right now--and you should believe the hype for Sparkle 'Til Morning!

 

It has 6 nicely sized shadows housed in a flip-up case for $5.99, which is a steal!

 

 

Sometimes, the Wet n' Wild combinations are a bit weird, but this one seems to work! I do like how they are labeled for a complete eye look if you are in a hurry.

 

 

Here are the first four shades. The are buttery, have zero fall-out, and are high-shine.

 

 

From top to bottom: The browbone color is a shimmery cream highlight; the eyelid color is a true gold sheen; the crease is an antique copper; and the definer is a teal that leans very blue on my skin.

 

Check out the other half after the jump!

 

My Weirdest Nail Combo to Date

This rather...interesting...nail color combo came about because I was swatching a polish that I thought would be lovely and it just wasn't. And then I tried to fix it with a top coat...and, you will soon see the results.

Enter the swatching polish in question: Julep "Otte" which came in my "It Girl" maven box this month. It is a color from the Trina Turk Fall 2012 collection, and it looks like a very pretty nude in the bottle. Julep polishes retail for $14, but the monthly subscription is $20 and I received 3 polishes this month.

 

Looks tame enough right? But not all nudes are created equal.

 

 

But upon applying, I was kind of grossed out. This is just a weird color. And it doesn't play well with my pale skin. It was nicely opaque in one coat though, and dried fast!

 

 

Really not my cup of tea. As you can tell by the messy polish job I did. Not into it.

 

See how I attempted to fix this mess after the jump!

 

I have been looking for a polish to try this over for a while. So I thought, hey--it can't get any worse!

 

This is Wet n' Wild's "Craze" crackle top-coat in "It's Not You, It's Me". Love that name!

 

 

Still weird, but I think it may be an improvement! It crackles well as a product and it doesn't get goopy (O.P.I shatter I am looking at you...)

 

 

What should I call this bizarre combo? Any ideas?

 

Final Thoughts: I like Julep polishes, for the most part (except that wonky orange one in my preview box) and they last well. But pass on this color. As for the top-coat: review is as follows.

 

 

Price: 10/10 (only $2.99!)

Staying Power: 8/10

Packaging: 9/10

Color/Wearability: 10/10

Quality/Branding: 9/10

 

Total: 46/50 = A- = Happy Panda!

 

Love the crackle coat. A good red one is hard to find. But the nude makes my stomach turn. Do you agree?

 

xoxo PrettyPanda

My Weirdest Nail Combo to Date

This rather...interesting...nail color combo came about because I was swatching a polish that I thought would be lovely and it just wasn't. And then I tried to fix it with a top coat...and, you will soon see the results.

Enter the swatching polish in question: Julep "Otte" which came in my "It Girl" maven box this month. It is a color from the Trina Turk Fall 2012 collection, and it looks like a very pretty nude in the bottle. Julep polishes retail for $14, but the monthly subscription is $20 and I received 3 polishes this month.

 

Looks tame enough right? But not all nudes are created equal.

 

 

But upon applying, I was kind of grossed out. This is just a weird color. And it doesn't play well with my pale skin. It was nicely opaque in one coat though, and dried fast!

 

 

Really not my cup of tea. As you can tell by the messy polish job I did. Not into it.

 

See how I attempted to fix this mess after the jump!

Mellow Wine is Just Fine

I know the title of this post is cheesy, but it made you smile right?

 

I haven't done a blush post in a while. In all honesty, I may have reviewed this color on my previous blog-space. But I love it so much it deserves attention again.

 

This is 'Mellow Wine' a Wet n Wild blush that was $3 and change. A super deal for a ton of pretty, dusty rose blush.

 

For a cheap drugstore brand, Wet n' Wild consistently puts out good, pigmented products. This is no longer teenager make-up in my opinion. Us grown women can use this too :)

 

In some lights it appears more orange/coral and in others it is a soft bubbly pink. Love. It just gives you a nice flush of color.

Final Thoughts: Looking for a natural flush of color on the cheap? Mellow Wine is for you!

Price: 10/10
Staying Power: 9/10
Packaging: 7/10
Color/Wearability: 10/10
Quality/Branding: 10/10

Total: 46/50 = A = Happy Panda

Do you have a favorite drugstore blush?

xox PrettyPanda

Mellow Wine is Just Fine

I know the title of this post is cheesy, but it made you smile right?

 

I haven't done a blush post in a while. In all honesty, I may have reviewed this color on my previous blog-space. But I love it so much it deserves attention again.

 

This is 'Mellow Wine' a Wet n Wild blush that was $3 and change. A super deal for a ton of pretty, dusty rose blush.

 

For a cheap drugstore brand, Wet n' Wild consistently puts out good, pigmented products. This is no longer teenager make-up in my opinion. Us grown women can use this too :)

 

In some lights it appears more orange/coral and in others it is a soft bubbly pink. Love. It just gives you a nice flush of color.

Final Thoughts: Looking for a natural flush of color on the cheap? Mellow Wine is for you!

Price: 10/10
Staying Power: 9/10
Packaging: 7/10
Color/Wearability: 10/10
Quality/Branding: 10/10

Total: 46/50 = A = Happy Panda

Do you have a favorite drugstore blush?

xox PrettyPanda

FOTD: Going-Out Eyes

This is just a quick post showing you a look I created for my friend's birthday party. We went to a local piano bar and dressed up. I wanted to have an eye look that was fun for an all-girl outing.

This was just make-up, before I did my hair and all that, so excuse that. I wanted to do a darker eye and keep my face pretty simple.

What I Used:

Face: Bare Minerals foundation in Fairly Light

Cheeks: Wet n Wild blush in Mellow Wine

Lips: Maybelline Baby Lips in Quenched

Eyes: Katy Perry false lashes in 'Oh, Honey!'
          Color Tattoo shadow in Audacious Asphalt
          Blended with Rimmel London Glam'eyes HD in Black Cab
          Mally Mascara in Black
          NYX noir eye liner in black

It was pretty easy to do, and I had a fab time that night. Any questions on the look, just ask!

xo PrettyPanda

FOTD: Going-Out Eyes

This is just a quick post showing you a look I created for my friend's birthday party. We went to a local piano bar and dressed up. I wanted to have an eye look that was fun for an all-girl outing.

This was just make-up, before I did my hair and all that, so excuse that. I wanted to do a darker eye and keep my face pretty simple.

What I Used:

Face: Bare Minerals foundation in Fairly Light

Cheeks: Wet n Wild blush in Mellow Wine

Lips: Maybelline Baby Lips in Quenched

Eyes: Katy Perry false lashes in 'Oh, Honey!'
          Color Tattoo shadow in Audacious Asphalt
          Blended with Rimmel London Glam'eyes HD in Black Cab
          Mally Mascara in Black
          NYX noir eye liner in black

It was pretty easy to do, and I had a fab time that night. Any questions on the look, just ask!

xo PrettyPanda

It is Officially Summer and 'I'm Getting Sunburned'

Hey!

It is a few days into June already (wow!) and that means, warmer days ahead and no more school (for many of us). I love the themed eye shadow sets that Wet n Wild come up with, and I thought that reviewing "I'm Getting Sunburned" was perfect for the season.

This eye shadow set comes with three shadows and two little tiny brushes. They are labeled with where you are supposed to use them on your eye to create a unique look.

Make sure to click on the pictures to see them closer! This set is $2.99 and is available at Ulta and CVS.

The colors are very summery, bright, and rich. I think they work better separately, and this might be a it overdone if worn all together, but give it a try! ( I think I might do a look with this soon).

The browbone color is a very frosty light pink. It is a dupe for a lot of colors, but still fun. This looks pretty on the tearduct. Super smooth and creamy formula.

The crease color is my favorite of the three. It is a dark brown with gold and red glitter. How fun is that? It is very pigmented, a little soft though, so beware of fall-out. A sticky primer is all you need.

The eyelid color is a true yellow gold. Although it looks richer in the pan, this color is still great for that fresh, gilded-eye look that is so popular right now. Love it!

All the shadows lasted around 7 hours before creasing with a good primer. I think they are worth it though, at this price point. W&W makes some of the most pigmented and creamy shadows at that price level. You can't beat it.

Final Thoughts:

Price: 10/10
Staying Power: 8/10
Packaging: 7/10
Color/Wearability: 9/10
Quality/Branding: 10/10

Total: 44/50 = B+ = Pretty Panda

So what do you guys think of W&W shadows in general? I think they are pretty awesome. Do you like these colors? Have any you suggest? Let me know!

xoxo PrettyPanda