REVIEW | KEVYN AUCOIN THE SENSUAL SKIN ENHANCER

Awhile back, I did a post called ‘Disappointing Beauty Products‘, in which this product was included. I didn’t hate it, but for the price, I wasn’t necessarily floored by it, either.

At the time, I was dealing with some major skin issues and acne flare-ups, and everyone and their mother swore that this would cover it like nothing else out there. Well, when applied to my semi-oily skin, it did absolutely nothing for me. And then a few weeks ago, I was surfing Poshmark (which I’ll get into later) and found it for nearly half the retail price.
In my shade.
Eh, what the hell…..
I placed my order.

So let’s back up for a second here. First I want to share what it is, and what it claims, per Sephora;

Cover all your bases with The Sensual Skin Enhancer. This all-in-one, waterproof formula delivers complete coverage when used as a concealer, highlighter, an allover foundation, or to contour your features. Infused with jojoba and honey, it works to hydrate the skin, and it is formulated with minerals that support the skin and is sweat proof and transfer resistant for full coverage and long-lasting wear.

If you want to see my revised, full review, keep on reading!


PACKAGING 

img_0596Big things come in small packages? Yeah, basically. The whopping 0.63 oz of this multipurpose formula comes and small, burgundy pot with a twist off lid that simply says ‘Kevyn Aucoin’ across the top. The shade information can be found on a sticker on the bottom of the pot.

FORMULA

This stuff is incredibly thick; it’s easy to go overboard, in which case you’ll likely end up hating the finish and cursing your wasted money (much like I did at first). But when applied sparingly and blended rather quickly, it melts into the skin for a ‘your skin but better’ look. It’s very creamy and hydrating (get your powder ready, babes!) thanks to ingredients like honey and jojoba. One of the greatest things is that it comes in 16 shades (I wear SX03 for reference), broken down by tone and undertone, making it fairly easy to find the best match for you.
For a drugstore comparison, this is comparable in formula to the Hard Candy Glamoflague Heavy Duty Concealer.

APPLICATION & WEAR

So here’s what made me dislike it the first time around; I used way too much, didn’t use a primer, didn’t powder, and didn’t set it with a spray. All on acne-ridden, combination/oily skin. Admittedly, not my brightest move, and quite frankly, I should have known better.
However, what made me give it a second chance, is the fact that my skin has been drying out lately (I think it knows it’s about to turn 30), and because this is so hydrating, it was worth giving it another look.

So here is the best way I’ve found to apply it (at least for me);
I prime my skin with the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water (another product I didn’t love, but has grown on me), and then spot conceal with the Kevyn Aucoin SSE and a Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush to apply it. I then blend with a Morphe M173 brush, and set it with my It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Silk HD Anti-Aging Micro-Powder. If I’m feeling a little too ‘powdery’, I’ll set it all in place with the Smashbox Primer Water or some Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray.

So far, I’ve only used this as a concealer – quite frankly, putting this all over my face scares me, because it’s so heavy. And I’ve yet to apply it under my eyes because well, it’s thick. And creamy. And will probably crease. But hell, with enough powder to set it, it may work well. And this little pot will last literally forever because you need so little product to cover everything you want.
I’ll admit, I am glad that I gave this product a second chance. It lasts all day long, doesn’t slip around or break down once it’s set, and while I’ve yet to test the validity of the waterproof claim, I can tell you that it’s been rather warm and humid around here lately, and it stayed exactly where I put it. All. Freakin’. Day.

OVERALL RATING : 5/5


Have you guys tried this stuff yet? It’s available on sephora.com  (online only, it’s not sold in stores) and it retails for $48. I know, I know. That’s expensive. But given that I’ve figured out how to ride the learning curve like a pro, I’d totally pay full price again and again! Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Come follow me around social media!
Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram : @dlynnesposito
Facebook : Affordable Gorgeous
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And feel free to reblog this post and share my social media with your friends! Your support means so much!

LOTS OF LOVE!!
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CONCEALER 101 : TIPS, TRICKS & RECOMMENDATIONS

Concealer. Oohhh concealer. I think if I had to choose one beauty product for the rest of my life, it would be concealer.

The thing is though, it can be tricky to find the right one for you. Colors, formulas, to color correct or not?
Believe me honey, I know your pain. I have a drawer (yes, a whole drawer) dedicated to concealers. No really, look.

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Despite the seemingly excessive number of concealers I own, I’m always on the hunt for the “perfect” concealer. A site called ‘Into The Gloss‘ has a fantastic list in which they’ve compiled some of the best concealers around, and I was inspired to pull together a list of my own faves, including color correctors, and how to use them!

So if you want to learn how to find the right one, as well as see some of my personal faves, just keep reading!


WHY DO WE NEED/USE CONCEALER? 

Aside from doing the obvious, which is concealing flaws, concealers are great at other things! I personally use concealer to prime my eyelids for shadow, clean up my brows, winged liner, or lips, highlight, and even cream contour and highlight! Some are thicker, some are thinner, sheer to full coverage; there is literally a formula for every situation!

HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT FORMULA? 

Choosing the right formula all depends on what you’re looking to do; if you’re working on concealing dark circles or discoloration, you’ll want a gel or serum formula. Especially under the eyes, you want something hydrating, but not too thick so it doesn’t crease.
Similarly, if you’re trying to conceal blemishes, you want something a bit hydrating that doesn’t cling to dry patches or that dry, flaky skin that accompanies a healing blemish (you know what I’m talking about), but is thick enough to actually cover said blemish. And trust me, if there’s one thing I know, it’s covering blemishes, honey! I promise you!

HOW DO I APPLY IT? FINGERS/BRUSHES/SPONGES?? 

Applying different formulas depends on the look you’re going for, where you’re applying it and why, and the formula you’re working with.
If you’re applying concealer to the under eye area, I generally like to apply it with a damp sponge. It helps to blend it seamlessly, absorb excess product (which helps avoid cake face), and adds a little extra hydration to a typically delicate, drier area, versus tugging at it with a brush. No matter the formula you’re working with, I always recommend patting motions with your sponge, pouncing it up and down, while moving back and forth from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner, and back again. This ensure that the concealer isn’t applied in just one direction, and will aid in keeping it from settling into those tiny little fine lines hiding under the lashes; you know, the ones that seem to be especially highlighted with concealer. One of my favorite sponges, besides the beautyblender, is the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I love it for it’s flat edge that really allows you to get up under the lashes.
If you’re working to conceal a blemish, particularly spot concealing, I like to first apply the product with a fine tip brush, like the Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush, and blend it out either with my ring finger (clean, of course!) or a dense, synthetic brush like the Morphe M173 or the e.l.f. Flawless Concealer Brush. Again, regardless of whether you choose to use a brush or your finger, I recommend patting motions with light pressure. The only advantage to using a brush over your finger, I’ve found, is that the bristles of the brush help to push the product into your skin and give it a very skin like finish, whereas the heat of your finger can actually warm up the product too much, to where it starts to slip and slide around.
No matter what tools you choose to apply your concealer, always set it with a powder! This ensures that your hard work wasn’t for nothing!

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH COLOR CORRECTING?

Color Correcting can seem intimidating, but it’s actually a very necessary step in properly concealing, well, anything. A lot of brands are starting to introduce color correctors as a regular part of their product lineup, including Urban Decay and even the Sephora collection. They too, like concealers, come in varying formulas from cream palettes to more fluid consistencies in tubes.
For a comprehensive look at color correcting, refer to the color wheel below. Yes, the color wheel. That thing that your art teacher used to teach you color theory; the idea is to use the opposite color of the one you’re trying to conceal, or correct. Under eye bags with a purple tint? Use a yellow based corrector. Are they more blue? Try something orange. Need to cover a stubborn red blemish? Green will be your new best friend. Basically the shade you want to correct with is the shade opposite of what you’re trying to cover.
I know, it seems tricky, but a little practice makes perfect!

WHAT ARE SOME OF MY FAVES? 

Oh, here comes the fun part! Like I said, concealer is one of, if not my absolute, must-have beauty item.
If I had to choose just one go-t0 concealer for everything and anything, it would be the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer. It’s hydrating, it covers redness, blemishes, hyper-pigmentation, it looks like skin, it’s demi-matte, and it stays on all day.
One that I find myself reaching for when I have a particularly stubborn blemish, or when I need something thicker to clean up my brows or winged liner, is the Hard Candy Glamoflague Concealer. This one is super full coverage, and you literally only need the a pin-head sized amount to cover just about anything on your face. A word of caution though; this is incredibly thick, creamy, and richly pigmented, so I don’t recommend using this under the eyes.
Something that is great for under the eyes, however, as well as cream contouring and highlighting, is the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. With a standard drugstore shade range of six shades, the lightweight, gel-like consistency and buildable formula makes this my most reached for drugstore concealer on a regular basis! Another great under-eye concealer (that I feel is highly underrated) is the Garnier Anti-Dark Circle Concealer, which is a sheer formula with a roller ball applicator and skin care ingredients! Does it get better?!


What are some of your concealer tips and tricks? What about your faves? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Come follow me around social media!
Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram : @dlynnesposito
Facebook : Affordable Gorgeous
Snapchat : dlynnesposito

And feel free to reblog this post and share my social media with your friends! Your support means so much!

LOTS OF LOVE!!
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REVIEW – URBAN DECAY NAKED SKIN WEIGHTLESS COMPLETE COVERAGE CONCEALER

Screen Shot 2016-05-04 at 5.24.53 AM

Hey guys!

No, no, I haven’t disappeared! There’s a lot going on, and I’ve been unbelievably busy, but I have all intentions on getting back to a normal schedule in the coming weeks.

I have a review for you today, on the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer ($28), obviously. In the beginning, I had such a love/hate relationship with this product, which I’ll get into shortly, but I realized that as much as I’ve been using it lately, I had yet to review it!

Clearly this isn’t a new product, as it’s been around for like, what? Almost two years now? But it’s certainly a very popular one! Let’s see what Urban Decay has to say about their product:

Hide even your most scandalous flaws. Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer gives you buildable, even coverage with a luminous, demi-matte finish. Ultra lightweight, this high-tech formula melds like a second skin to give you full coverage in an instant. For complete coverage, just keep building; no matter how much you apply, Naked Skin Concealer always blends beautifully and NEVER settles into fine lines.

We loaded Naked Skin Concealer with lots of ingredients that are good for your skin. Matrixyl 3000 contains anti-wrinkle peptides to improve skin’s youthful appearance and elasticity. Japanese green tea revitalizes and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines. Litchiderm™ (derived from lychee fruit) protects against dehydration, resulting in a brighter, more radiant complexion. And sodium hyaluronate helps skin attract and retain moisture.

Let’s get started!


PACKAGING

Screen Shot 2016-05-04 at 5.27.55 AMWith this concealer you get 0.16 fl oz of product, which isn’t a crazy amount of product when you compare it to other concealers.
Part one of my love/hate relationship with this concealer lies with the packaging; while I like that it’s very sleek, with it’s silver twist-off cap, and large, flexible, flat applicator wand (which dispenses the perfect amount of product with one dip), I believe the actual bottle containing the concealer is glass – I could be wrong, but it sure feels like glass, which makes me reluctant to put it in my bag and take along during the day, God forbid travel with it.

FORMULA

The formula is very fluid and lightweight, almost gel-like in it’s consistency. This concealer comes in 11 shades, but I highly suggest getting color matched in store. The shades run incredibly light, and if you’re fair to medium skinned, it can be tricky to find your perfect shade. Searching reviews and forums isn’t much help either, so as a reference, I’m roughly an NC15 (fair to light with warm undertones) and I finally settled on the shade Light Warm, though I was matched to Fair Neutral. Fair Neutral looks like white paint in a tube.

APPLICATION & WEAR

The most common method of application I’ve seen used with this concealer is the highlighting method; you know what I mean, under the eyes, the forehead, nose, cupids bow, and chin. Pretty standard.
I can use this to highlight, however because it’s so close to my natural skin color, I can also  slap it all over and wear it as a “foundation”, if you will, which is usually what I do.
The best way that I’ve found to apply this is with a damp sponge. Typically, a damp sponge will sheer out your product, but because this has such a high level of pigmentation, I find that I get a solid medium to full coverage on the first pass. For particularly stubborn areas like blemishes, I simply go back and add a little more (it really doesn’t get cakey, so I love that about it!) and then dab over the top and around the edges with a concealer brush like the e.l.f. Flawless Concealer Brush, or even my Morphe M173. If you have dry skin, you probably don’t have to worry about setting this with a powder, but for the sake of not finding out the hard way on my combination skin, I usually set it with my It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Silk HD Micro Powder on a fluffy brush, and it stays put all day.
One of the most notable features of this concealer is that it’s really quite comfortable and hydrating, while having a demi-matte finish. Something that I appreciate. As any surface oil starts to peek through, it just looks like dewy skin, not an oil slick, and it doesn’t break apart on me like most concealers do. And so far, it hasn’t broken me out – win!!

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No foundation, just this concealer 🙂

Overall Rating : 4.5/5
(.5 off for packaging and shade selection) 


Have you guys tried this concealer? What are your thoughts? Do you have any other favorites? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Come follow me around social media!
Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram : @dlynnesposito
Facebook : Affordable Gorgeous
Snapchat : dlynnesposito

And feel free to reblog this post and share my social media with your friends! Your support means so much!

LOTS OF LOVE!!
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JANUARY 2016 FAVORITES

Is it me, or does it seem like this month went by way too fast?!

In any event, it’s time for my January Favorites! Below, I’ve compiled a list of the things I’ve been loving this month (like every month) and I want to share them with you! Who knows, maybe you’ll discover some new faves of your own!

Let’s get started!


MORPHE M173 MINI BUFFER ($4.99)

img_9627I received this brush in my January Morphe Monthly Brush Club package, and I haven’t been able to stop using it! It’s intended to be an eyeshadow brush, but you guys….it is the most unbelievably flawless concealer brush!! It’s like a baby M439!! All of your imperfections blend away like magic with this brush! I’ll be ordering a few more to have as backup. Like, right now…hold on…..ok, all set!

L’OREAL COLOUR CARESSE WET SHINE STAIN ($9.79)

img_9862These are hardly new. But if you’d like to read the review on them, click here. I used them religiously when I first bought them, but eventually they disappeared somewhere in the land-of-the-lost-lippes. I managed to rescue them right around the first week of the month though, and since then I have been wearing the shade ‘Lilac Ever After’ on an almost daily basis! It’s the most beautiful mauvey, every day shade, and it stays put! And recently they were marked down 50% in my local CVS, so check yours if you wanna try them – at that discount, they’re less than $5!

ALMAY CLEAR COMPLEXION OIL FREE CONCEALER ($8.49)

 

 You guys know my love of concealer. This one treats breakouts (it contains Salicylic Acid), has coverage that rivals my holy grail, high end concealer (dupe post coming? maybe!) and doesn’t accentuate my dry patches! The only downside is that it only comes in three shades; light, light medium, and medium. Light works perfectly for my fair skin tone, however this probably isn’t the product for someone with deep skin. I’m sorry!!

LORAC PRO CONTOUR PALETTE ($45)

 

 I know, it’s not the most affordable thing in the world. I don’t necessarily love this for the contour shades (they’re a little warm for my fair skin) as much as I do for the highlight shades. The beige and banana powders are great for the under eye area, and the shimmer highlight in the palette is the most natural looking, glowy, dewy finish I’ve ever seen. The palette itself has a variety of tones which I can use when freelancing, and as a bonus it came with a brush, which is a little too dense to use with such a pigmented palette, but I love it with other contour products I have!

L’OREAL VISIBLE LIFT BLUR BLUSH ($12.99)

 

 Since winter is in full swing here in New England, I’ve been trying to scale back on the powder products for the sake of my lizard-like dry skin. This somehow got lost in my collection, so when I found it, it was like using it for the first time all over again! It’s a super natural looking peachy pink cream blush (I have it in the shade Soft Peach) that comes in a nice, sanitary squeeze tube, and the formula contains ‘Blur Technology’ to help you look young and fresh! For the most natural look, try applying your cream blush BEFORE your foundation – a neat little trick I picked up awhile back!

MARY KAY TRANSLUCENT LOOSE POWDER ($16)

 

 I’ve been using this lately to set my makeup, and even to bake with. And I can’t stop! This powder….is probably the only powder that doesn’t accentuate my flaky, dry skin. And it contains the itty-bittiest light reflecting particles that make you look like you’re walking around with photo-shopped skin all day long! It blurs aways imperfections and fine lines, it keeps my concealer from creasing, it’s brightening – it’s absolutely amazing!


What are some of your favorites from this past month, or in general? Have you tried any of these products?? Leave me a comment and let me know!

And please take a moment to go follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito, and give a like to the Affordable Gorgeous page on Facebook – your support means so much to me!

LOTS OF LOVE!
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THE ‘HOLY GRAIL’ CONCEALER BRUSH YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE!

img_9627So, many of you know by now that I am a subscriber to the Morphe Monthly Brush Club. When it launched on Cyber Monday 2015, I had the AMEX in hand, ready to go! And I gotta tell ya, it was one of the best decisions of my life.

Well when the January 2016 packaged arrived, I unboxed (unbagged, whatevs) it for you guys (click here to see what was inside!) and one of the first brushes I pulled out was the Morphe M173 Mini Buffer brush.

This brush retails for $4.99, and is technically an eyeshadow brush. But let’s be real here; are there really any rules when it comes to makeup? Nope. And naturally the same applies to your tools – you can use them any way you please!

So my first thought was “this looks like a baby Morphe M439 Deluxe Buffer brush ($14)” which is my HG foundation brush. “I wonder how well this would blend out concealer!”

Well…..well…..its amaze-balls!

I usually can’t use a densely packed, rounded brush anywhere on my eyes because they’re hooded, so I stick to tapered blending brushes, fluffy blending brushes, things like that. But this brush – this little $5 gift from heaven right here – blends concealer like nothing I’ve ever seen in my life!!

If you’ve been here for awhile, then you know that I’ve been ride or die for my e.l.f. Flawless Concealer Brush, which is amazing, don’t get me wrong! And it hasn’t been replaced by any means! I still love it for blending out concealer under my eyes. But this M173 gives the most flawless finish to your concealer….like, it looks like skin, but all your dirty little (red, bumpy) secrets are covered! I especially love it for covering the redness along the sides of my nose, and blemishes. It allows you to sort of stipple over them first, pressing product into your skin, before gently blending it out so it looks seamless.

And it’s $5. FIVE DOLLARS. I’ll be ordering a few more of these to have on hand!


Has anyone else tried this brush? Do you want to? Leave me a comment below!

And please take a moment to go follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito, and give a like to the Affordable Gorgeous page on Facebook!

LOTS OF LOVE!
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MORPHE MONTHLY BRUSH CLUB – JANUARY 2016

 Hey guys! It’s time for the January unboxing – unbagging – whatever! – of the Morphe Montly Brush Club!!

Since signing up for this service, I haven’t been disappointed! Basically what it is, is a monthly subscription service like Ipsy or Birchbox or Glossy Box, where you pay a flat monthly fee (this one is $19.99 a month with free shipping to the US and Canada) and you receive almost double the valued amount of products! While most subscription services send either sample cards, deluxe samples, and maybe the occasional full size, with Morphe you know what you’re getting – at least $30+ worth of full size brushes each and every month, right to your mailbox!! The number of brushes received will vary month to month (December I got four brushes, this month I got eight brushes!) but they will always total at least $30 or more in value!

If you’d like to check out what came in the December package, click here. To see what came this month, just keep reading!


MORPHE M173 – MINI BUFFER ($4.99)

 

 Technically this is an eyeshadow brush. It’s short, dense bristles claim to be perfect for blending shadows seamlessly. But there are no rules when it comes to makeup brushes! You can use them for whatever you like! I’ll be using this as a concealer brush, as it’s the perfect size for blending out concealer under the eye!

MORPHE M208 – CHISEL DELUXE FLUFF ($2.99)

 

 This sable hair brush is short, semi flat but still a bit fluffy, with a wide base. I think this will be nice for contouring the nose! I’m excited to try it out, and I’ll let you know what I end up using it for!

MORPHE M167 – OVAL SHADOW (reg. $9.99 on sale for $5.99)

 

 Another sable hair brush, this one is the perfect size, density, and shape to pack color onto the lid. Used wet or dry, this is great for pressed shadows and loose pigments alike! Oooh I’m excited!

MORPHE M176 – TAPERED BLENDER ($4.99)

 

 This sable brush is meant to blend concealer under the eyes, though I don’t know that I’ve ever used anything that large to do it! I’ll have to try it out….

MORPHE M217 – BENT LINER ($2.99)

 

 This is a synthetic brush for use with gel and cream liners, and the bent tip is supposed to make application super easy, providing a perfect angle for flawless liner – I’ve never used a bent liner brush like this, so I’ll be sure to let you know how it works out!

MORPHE M215 – BROW ($1.99)

 

 You can never have too many brow brushes! Though I don’t think I have one this small! This synthetic brush would work great with a cream, gel, or pomade type medium for precise, super sculpted brows!

MORPHE M209 – CHISEL POINTED FLUFF ($2.99)

 

 A super soft sable hair brush that would be perfect for a light application of your favorite transition color on the lids – medium density, and would be great for blending out harsh lines as well!

MORPHE M200 – DELUXE CREASE ($4.99)

 

 This brush is one that I already have in my collection, and I love it! It’s a sable hair brush that blends the crease color beautifully! I’m so glad I have a backup now! (That happened last month too!)


Alright guys, the total of this months brushes came to $35.92! But the monthly price is only $19.99 – sounds like a bargain to me! I can’t wait to try these out!!

Are you guys subscribed to the Morphe Monthly Brush Club? You can sign up at www.liveglam.com (click the link to go right to the sign up page!)

And please take a moment to go follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito, and go like the Affordable Gorgeous page on Facebook – your support means the world to me!

Until next month (for this at least!)-

LOTS OF LOVE!!

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