Review: CARGO Siena Blush vs NARS Amour Blush

When I first read some beauty reviewers saying that NARS Amour is identical to CARGO Siena, I was really excited. CARGO Siena has always been my most favorite blush in terms of color and blendability. But I dont't love CARGO's tin packaging without mirror, and the biggest drawback is the poor staying power. I have oily skin and I needed to reapply 3-5 times a day with Siena. I have another CARGO blush, Mendocino, and somehow it lasts longer on my cheek.

So, I've been searching for another blush that is an exact dupe to Siena, with better packaging and staying power. I grabbed Amour from Makeupalley swapping corner and was pretty lucky to get around 95% of the product. I do love NARS' slim and sleek packaging, and from all the colors I've had in my possession, the lasting power is pretty great.

So, is it an exact dupe? See for yourself.

Well, Amour does look very similar to Siena on the cheek, just a tad pinker. They're both matte, but Siena gives a bit of glow that I fail to see from Amour. Amour could last a half day on me, so I only need to reapply once or twice, depending on the heat I am exposed to that day. I bet no one could see the difference once it's on, but to me, they're still different. :)
I still love Amour, though. Being the closest color to Siena, I now wear it almost everyday.

Jan 2012 Haul: Mineral Hygienics, Lucy Minerals, Meow Cosmetics, Dermablend Cover Creme, Naturactor Cream Foundation

Hello, blog! Long time no see. :)

This is officially my first post on this new blog address. I have been sooo lazy to post anything, though there's actually a lot I wanna share here.

So, my 2012 resolution is NOT to buy any lipstick. For a whole year! This does sound impossible, really. But, I have been buying so many lipsticks the past few months, some of which I will be reviewing in my next post, I need to stop buying and just finish what I have now. I currently own more than 50 lipsticks in my stash, so I should be able to survive without a new one for a year. Right?

Turning my head away from lipsticks, I am now back to being a foundation addict. Same old, same old. :p
I have yet been able to find a holy grail foundation, and I honestly doubt I'll ever will! The problem is, I keep on wishing to look flawless without looking too made-up, dewy without being oily, whereas my skin has lots of discolorations and oily. But, knowing this fact doesn't stop my hunt for the perfect foundation! Stubborn junkie, I know.

Well now, I started the year with some mineral foundations haul. The first one to arrive was Mineral Hygienics. Have you heard this brand before? From one of the reviews I read, it is said to have The Best oil control among mineral foundations. So, I just need to proof it!
The package came very quick, only 2 weeks from ordering! Great start.

Based on the color description, I chose Medium Tan and Dark Gold Tan foundations. Both are yellow toned. I think I will need to mix these two shades to fit my NC40-42ish skin. Oh, there's really no info on the product's weight/volume, but I think it's around 3-4 grams each.

Medium Tan (left), Dark Golden Tan (right) 

Second mineral foundation haul is samples of Lucy Minerals' Light formula. I tried both of the oil control formulas and didn't like them that much. Out of the blue, I ordered these samples. Don't ask me why, because I seriously can't remember!

Lucy Minerals: Caramel (tops), Golden Medium (bottom)

Next mineral foundation I received was... Meow! This time, I ordered munchkin sizes of Fierce Manx in Flawless Feline which is full coverage, and Slinky Manx in Pampered Puss formula. I am planning to mix these two to achieve medium-full coverage. Let's see how they work!

FF Fierce Manx (left), PP Slinky Manx (right), extra blush samples (bottom)

Not only minerals, I also purchased one liquid foundie and a few cream ones.

The liquid foundation I bought was Make Up For Ever Face and Body, in #34. MUFE FnB was actually my very first department store brand foundation, but I didn't like it then. I was a makeup virgin, so the term makeup primer was an alien to me. Thus, the foundation melted and the color oxidized on me. I initially bought the wrong shade, too. Doh!
An MUA friend recently recommend this foundation because it is water-based therefor suitable for oily skin. Voila, I decided to give it another shot.

Makeup For Ever Face and Body #34

Now on to the cream foundations! I have very little experience with cream foundations. The only one I have is Kanebo Lunasol Water Cream Foundation, which I LOVE! After reading tons of reviews and had very "inspiring" chats with my MUA friend, Helen, I am now on the hunt for a cream foundation with good coverage and decent oil control.

Here's what I got:
Dermablend Cover Creme in Cafe Brown. Bought this on eBay for a bargain, $15.99.

I soon realized that Cafe Brown would be too dark for me, so I pre-ordered 2 of Dermablend's lighter shades. Since the pre-order can take over a month to arrive, I decided to buy Naturactor Cream Foundation to mix with Cafe Brown. The shade I bought was 151, which is the darkest one. Since Naturactor is a Japanese brand, even the darkest shade is still much too light for me!

I forgot to take the pics of Dermablend and Naturactor when they first arrived, so pardon me for this.

Naturactor (left), Dermablend Cafe Brown (right)

Other than foundations, I also add another NARS blush to my collection. I got this from a "swap" at Makeupalley. Actually, I bought this at a bargain price from a MUA member. :D

 NARS Amour

Well? I'm very happy with almost all of my new babies. It's really a great way to start the year, by trying out new products and puting high hopes they will suit you. :)
See you in February!