influenster – Hoots of a Night Al

Maybelline Dream Cushion Liquid Foundation

February 16, 2017 No Comments

According to their website, Maybelline’s “Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation delivers complete luminous coverage for fresh-faced perfection.” I only agree with some of that statement. While it does give you a luminous, fresh-faced look, I don’t think it gives you complete coverage or perfection. I recently received the Dream Cushion Foundation to try for free from Influenster.

This is the first cushion foundation I have ever used, so I was excited to test it out. I decided to try it for the first time with the cushion applicator included in the package. According to the instructions, you’re supposed to simply slip the cushion onto your fingers, press it into the cushion foundation, and tap it onto your face to apply the foundation. I found this method gave me moderate coverage, but it took a very long time to ensure there weren’t any bare patches or streaks.

For my second application attempt, I used my damp Beauty Blender. Once again, I pressed the blender into the cushion foundation and applied it to my face using a tapping motion. This worked slightly better than the cushion method, but it made the already light coverage of the foundation even sheerer.

Finally, I tried applying the foundation with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. I dabbed my brush into the cushion foundation, stippled it onto my face, and buffed it out. This definitely seemed like the best application method to me, so consider trying different techniques if you purchase this foundation.

I found that the Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation provided a luminous, dewy affect. However, the coverage was definitely lacking. I tried to build up the foundation some, but it didn’t provide that flawless, matte look I’m used to wearing. (Duh, I don’t think it’s meant to.)

It definitely smoothed out many of my imperfections and evened out my skin tone, but I still had to use a lot of concealer for certain areas. Also, it did not wear well at all. I have combination skin, and anywhere I generally get oily, this foundation slid right off my skin. I did wear it with a primer and setting powder, but that didn’t seem to help at all.

I don’t think this claims to be a long-wearing foundation, since Maybelline advertises how easy it is to apply this on-the-go and carry it with you at all times. However, once I apply my foundation I add concealer, setting powder, contour, bronzer, blush, and highlighter…pretty sure if my original foundation is coming off, I don’t want to apply a second layer on top of all that.

Negatives aside, I do think this is a great foundation. If you’re someone who wants to simply even out your skin tone and prefer a fresh-faced look, this could definitely be the foundation for you. I think it would work best on dry skin types. However, with the right combination of primer and setting powder, it may work for any skin type. I can see myself using the Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation on days when I’m running errands and just want a bit of foundation and some mascara.

There are currently 8 shades (for reference, I’m wearing shade 20 Classic Ivory), and this will set you back about $16. That’s a little high for a drugstore foundation to me, so if you’re on the fence, purchase it somewhere that is good about returns like Ulta.

Have you tried the Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation? Any tips for me to help it stay put longer?

Primer

Nivea Men’s Sensitive Post Shave Balm (Full Review)

Foundation

Maybelline Dream Cushion Foundation in 20 Classic Ivory

Concealer

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Fair 15 (Full Review)

Setting Power

Wet n Wild MegaGlo Contouring Palette in Dulce de Leche

Contour

Wet n Wild MegaGlo Contouring Palette in Dulce de Leche

Bronzer

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer

Blush

Wet n Wild Color Icon Blush in Pearlescent Pink

Highlighter

Wet n Wild MegaGlo Illuminating Palette in Catwalk Pink (Full Review)

Eyeshadow Primer

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Metal in Barely Branded (Full Review)

Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (Full Review)

Eyeliner

Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in Onyx (Full Review)

Mascara

Covergirl Super Sizer Fibers Mascara (Full Review)

Eyebrows

Ulta Brow Powder in Medium

Lips

Revlon Matte Balm in Sultry (Full Review)

Tools

Beauty Blender

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Wet n Wild Large Eyeshadow Brush

Wet n Wild Crease Eyeshadow Brush

Wet n Wild Contour Brush

Wet n Wild Angled Liner Brush

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on these links or make a purchase using these links, I may receive a small percentage of the profit at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Hoots of a Night Al!

I received this product for free to review, but, as always, all opinions are my own.

Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayon

November 30, 2016 2 Comments

I recently received three of Bite Beauty’s Matte Crème Lip Crayons to sample and review. As described by Bite, they’re “A collection of lip crayons in timeless matte shades that provide superior hydration. Bite Beauty’s latest breakthrough formula boasts a collection of beautiful nudes, striking reds, and deep burgundies with a matte yet moist texture. The secret is the moisture-locking power of orange peel wax along with the antioxidant properties of resveratrol. Each gorgeous shade is water-resistant and long wearing.”

Read on to see what I thought!

First of all the packaging is so slick. It’s a matte smoky gray with the Bite logo in a subtle gloss at the bottom. I love how chic they look! The cap securely clicks on and off, so I know there’s not risk of them coming open in my purse. I do wish there was a small color indicator of which shade was which on the exterior however, so I don’t to find the tiny name to read each time. Not a huge issue, just a personal preference.

The colors I received are Glacé, Red Velvet, and Cava, as seen above. Let me walk you through each shade!

Glacé

Glacé is described as a dusty mauve, which is accurate. This shade has quickly become my go-to everyday shade, since it goes with basically any daytime look I create. I love natural shades like this. If you’re looking for a lipcolor you can get tons of wear out of, I recommend Glacé without hesitation. A similar drugstore option with a slightly more matte look is Revlon Matte Balm in Sultry.

Cava

Cava is listed as a lilac beige shade. It is one of the most unique lipcolors I own. Personally, I prefer a bolder lipstick on myself, but I could see this being popular with a lot of people. It’s a great “nude” (not a literal nude hopefully…if someone’s natural lips are purple, they’re most likely freezing or suffocating. Please help them out.). I’d love to see how it looks on someone not as fair-skinned as me. Cava would be great paired with a darker smoky eye.

Red Velvet

Red Velvet is a rich, deep red. Who can resist a classic red? Not this girl. Red Velvet is a great red to add to anyone’s collection as it glides on smoothly, doesn’t bleed, and should be flattering to most skin tones. I wear this shade almost as often as Glacé, since I’m a big believer in red lipstick whenever you can squeeze it in. 🙂 A similar drugstore option with a slightly more matte look is Revlon Matte Balm in Standout.

As you can see, the Bite Matte Crème Lip Crayons offer lots of diversity in their color choices. Overall, I’m very pleased with these! I wouldn’t consider them a matte, as they always retain some shine and are not transfer-proof. I always have to reapply after I eat with one of these on. However, they don’t bleed and are very moisturizing, which I love. This would be a great demi-matte option for people who don’t like drying, matte lipsticks.

They “crayon” shaped tube is nice, since the smaller tip allows for easier application. These are nice if you have thinner lips or just like a skinnier product.

Finally, I wanted to mention that these have a strong tea scent. It fades after application, but when applying, they smell just like tea leaves to me! If you’re sensitive to smells, I’d give these a whiff in person before purchasing.

Overall, I’d recommend these to anyone looking for a good, moisturizing, relatively long-wearing lipstick. They are exclusive to Sephora, but some can be found on Amazon at the links I included above. Have you tried any of the other shades? Let me know!

I received these products for free from Influenster, and all opinions, as always, are my own.