I think I can safely say I have a growing affinity for matte lip products; they leave little to no tackiness and feel as if I had applied nothing onto my lips while being insanely pigmented in color. But the ones I have tried so far have been on the pricier end of the spectrum, ranging USD $20+ per stick of pigment.
The sensible side of me has kept me from splurging on more of the JUNGSAEMMOOL High Color Lipsticks. The frugal side of me took the chance to stack coupons and deals in order to test different colored matte lips. Maybelline's SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in 15 Lover seemed to have a big fanbase, judging solely by number ratings, and the muted pink shade looked perfect for everyday wear.
MAYBELLINE's Description:
SuperStay Matte Ink™ Liquid Lipstick gives you a flawless matte finish in a range of super saturated shades.
Ink your lips in up to 16 HR saturated liquid matte. SuperStay Matte Ink™ features a unique arrow applicator for precise application and is available in a range of super saturated shades.
Directions
1. Apply liquid lipstick in the center of your upper lip and follow the contours of your mouth.
2. Glide the liquid lipstick across the entire bottom lip.
Ingredients
DIMETHICONE, TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE, ISODODECANE, NYLON-611/DIMETHICONE COPOLYMER, DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, C30-45 ALKYLDIMETHYLSILYL POLYPROPYLSILSESQUIOXANE, LAUROYL LYSINE, ALUMINA, SILICA SILYLATE, DISODIUM STEAROYL GLUTAMATE, PHENOXYETHANOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, LIMONENE, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, PARAFFIN, BENZYL BENZOATE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, CITRONELLOL, PARFUM / FRAGRANCE [+/- MAY CONTAIN / PEUT CONTENIR CI 45410 / RED 28 LAKE CI 77891 / TITANIUM DIOXIDE CI 15850 / RED 7 CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 / IRON OXIDES CI 45380 / RED 22 LAKE CI 15985 / YELLOW 6 LAKE CI 19140 / YELLOW 5 LAKE CI 42090 / BLUE 1 LAKE CI 15850 / RED 6 CI 17200 / RED 33 LAKE MICA] F.I.L. D197345/2
Lipstick tube 5.0 ml / 0.17 fl. oz.
Maybelline (MSRP): USD $9.49
Packaging
Comes in a sturdy opaque plastic tube. One end is colored to match the liquid lipstick. There is a click-lock protrusion to stop anyone from over-tightening the tube. The applicator is arrow-shaped and hollow in the middle.
Since the applicator is bulbous in shape and there is a stopper bit near the top of the tube, it takes a slight tug to release the wand portion of the lipstick from the bottle. When done too quickly, liquid lipstick can fly out. When done slowly, the stopper acts as a scaper of sorts to slightly remove excess product from the tip.
Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent
Maybelline doesn't describe any of the colors of this line on their website. Lover, in my eyes, fall in the dusty rose color category. It leans cool-blue in most situations, purple in certain lighting. When applied in a light, very light, layer the blue tones aren't as apparent.
The liquid lipstick is very sticky and tacky. I saw it the moment I tried to pull the applicator wand out and was greeted by a string of dangling lacquer. No matter how thin or thick a layer I apply, the lipstick never fails to act like a glue keeping my lips together.
True to its name the SuperStay Matte Ink dries matte. There is an initial sheen if applied in a thicker manner but it eventually becomes shine-less.
There is a scent. I can't quite pinpoint what it is but it is definitely not an unpleasant one. I want to say it is like shea butter but that isn't an ingredient on the list.
How I Apply
Gradient // Scrape off most of/all the excess product from the applicator. Lightly swipe the arrow-shaped tip onto the inner portions of my bottom lip only. Smack my lips together to distribute some color onto the upper lip. Feather out the edges with my fingertips.
Thoughts & Recommendations
One thing I know for sure, I love the color of Lover when applied in a light-handed manner. Pink without being overbearing. It is my ideal MLBB shade (if that is still a thing in the beauty world).
The other thing I really like about the formulation is the lack of transfer. I don't have to worry about dirtying mugs, reusable bottles, scarves nor think about reapplying lip color. It only comes off when I eating something oily.
That said, the formulation is also the downfall. I have adjusted to my lips sticking together throughout the day. But the same tackiness makes it difficult to reapply. New layers are always uneven and blotchy. At the same time, the thicker the initial layer the more gluing power there is. Plainly said, don't apply a lot if you talk a lot.
While I can agree with Maybelline on the "saturated shade" part of their description, "16-hour wear" is a bit of a stretch. I am assuming they tested that on someone who did not eat or drink anything with even a tiny bit oily. The SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick does stay a very long time—the lipstick is difficult to blend once it has settled. But when it meets oil, bye-bye!
My biggest pet peeve with this particular product though is the way it wears off on my lips...in flakes. It always looks like peeling paint after a meal with the inner lip areas the most naked. Paired with any of the cons I mentioned above, it is impossible to remove without carrying around extra makeup remover and unideal to reapply more color without starting with bare lips.
This wasn't a bad buy considering the price I paid (nearly half the suggested retail). I had a bit of a learning curve. Once I got over the hurdle, it didn't feel as terrible. I reach for this tube of liquid lipstick often now just because of the color alone. If high color pigmentation and transferability is most important, go for it.
I wanted to share an update on how Project Make a Dent was going but realized many of the products don't look much different from my first post since it's only been two months. The next best option was to show how I have been incorporating the chosen items into my makeup routine during this time period.
Dusty rose was a trending makeup look a while back on YouTube. I was always a little apprehensive towards one-color trends because it felt kind of tacky, like wearing head-to-toe in one color and becoming a walking crayon sans the costume. It might look chic if white, gray, or black; anything else takes someone more fashionable than me to pull off. Throw a pink shade into the mix and it could easily make my face look blotchy instead of put-together.
Somehow, one day I played around with the colors I forced upon myself this year and the monochrome theme didn't look as bad as I imagined it to be.
There hasn't been a big change in the steps of my morning routine. The biggest changes from December's "Daily Look" post is a few product removals and a bunch of color swaps.
On this particular day, I still started with a light layer of Clio Kill Cover Pro Artist Liquid Concealer in Green. I followed with a layer of just the foundation in the VDL MULE Ultimate Cover Palette in A03 that was set with a dusting of Kate Lasting High Coverage Powder Foundation in OC-C, focusing mostly on the eye area and T-zone. Afterward, I applied the bronzer shade from MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Skinfinish in Pink Power under my cheekbones and temples of my forehead. I used the Milani Minerals Blush in Sweet Rose on top of my cheeks and lightly over my eyelids. For highlight, I opted to use Urban Decay in Virgin.
I applied Urban Decay in Toasted all over the lid as well to add a bit of shimmer and textural contrast to the eyes. It is barely noticeable but I swept the Hustle shade close to the lash line on the outer corner of the lids, to give my eyes more depth...I think? Then I curled my lashes and applied Clio Hitch Eye-King Mascara in Volume, lined my eyes with L'Oreal Paris Infallible Matte-Matic Waterproof Eyeliner in Deep Brown, and filled in my brows with JUNGSAEMMOOL Refining Color-Bony Brow in Smoky Bony. The finishing touch is always a light coating of Maybelline Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in Lover on the innermost part of the lips.
What do you think? Not bad or tacky? Should I continue this series when I change up my look for the warmer months?
There was a time when I always had a bottle of facial mist in my skincare routine. I think I stopped using them because the ones I tried didn't seem to do much or had a texture I didn't enjoy. Most of the mists I used just felt like glorified, fragranced, and expensive water.
That was then and this is now. I am starting fresh on this mist discovery journey and hoping the new products I try will change my mind towards the skincare category. Lumene's Sisu [Urban Antidotes] Defend & Replenish Antioxidant Mist made some good impressions already as the first contender.
Lumene's description:
Shield your complexion in the polluted urban environment. Infused with Pure Arctic Spring Water, mineral-rich Nordic Birch Sap and Antioxidant Vitamin B3, this ultra-fine mist helps to protect and hydrate to defend and maintain your skin’s appearance of natural luminosity.
Directions
The final step in your skincare regimen, spray all over the face, neck and décolleté to shield skin from the urban environment.
Ingredients
AQUA (WATER), PROPANEDIOL, RUBUS CHAMAEMORUS (CLOUDBERRY) FRUIT WATER, BETULA ALBA (BIRCH) JUICE, NIACINAMIDE, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, BIOSACCHARIDE GUM-4, PHENOXYETHANOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, ABIES PICEA (SPRUCE) EXTRACT, CITRIC ACID, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE)
Mist 100 ml / 3.4 fl oz
Lumene (USA retail): USD $24.99
CVS: USD $24.99
Packaging
Opaque white mist bottle—pretty standard and nothing to really write home about. The mist the nozzle lets out is fairly fine as long as I commit to the full pump. If I only do a half-press, I get a bunch of water droplets instead of a micronized mist.
Kudos to Lumene for having each box wrapped nicely in a plastic sheet. It provides so much reassurance to know if any individual product has been tested since Lumene is typically found in CVS here in the States (for those unfamiliar people love to open and swatch things at drugstores here as we don't get designated testers).
Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent
The liquid is colorless. It feels just like water and isn't vicious or sticky in any way. My skin isn't dewy after the mist is fully absorbed either; just looks like skin. There is a sweet fruity fresh scent straight out of the bottle. But that evaporates after a bit.
How I Apply
In-between skincare steps // Especially between cleansing and toning because I tend to wait a while before toner and my skin gets tight and dry during that time
Through the day over makeup // Rehydrates my skin when I wear drier finish foundations.
On my dry chapped hands // Helps relieve tightness I get during the cold weather without the residue like with lotion.
Thoughts & Recommendations
I am going to refrain from commenting in-depth on the mist's ingredients because I think I spray far too little, on a day-to-day basis, to really benefit from them. That being said, I was surprised to find the ingredients list short and in addition to some trendy components like birch juice and niacinamide. The mist is formulated without parabens yet still has fragrance.
Otherwise, if I am to be completely honest, there isn't much to mist reviews. It either worked or didn't work and, equally as important, didn't irritate my skin or did. As long as I am on the better end of the receiving stick, things like texture and price are the only things that really set the products apart.
There isn't anything negative for me to say about the Lumene Sisu Mist. My skin instantly feels softer and less tight; it looks less dry and flakey as well. I don't show any bad reactions to the formulation either. I love how lightweight and watery the product is. Even though it doesn't leave me glowy and dewy, it also doesn't disrupt makeup while giving me a more hydrated look. This product seems it would fit well with all skin types.
I am not sure if it is worth the full retail price. USD $25 isn't terribly expensive but still a hefty penny for a mist. Sure it has "Arctic Spring water" and cloudberries but it could all just be for easier marketing. I haven't tried enough mists lately in any price range to compare Sisu Mist's overall value versus effectiveness. But since the Lumene brand is easily accessible via CVS, I won't hold its price against it; especially as CVS offers a ton of coupons and ExtraBucks for those with their rewards card.
A part of me wants to believe there is a more affordable option out there that will give me similar results. Until I find that perfect bottle of mist, I may consider repurchasing another Lumene Sisu Mist whenever CVS has a good sale and/or offers me irresistible coupons.
I am a super low-maintenance person when it comes to body care; give me some body wash and a pouf, I'm set! But I have recognized that while I may be clean from the day's dirt and oil, that method of cleaning was no match for dead skin or ashy patches. Even when I tried those exfoliating towels the elbow grease required to effectively scrub myself soft was, honestly, tiring and made my skin feel raw.
When I came across Wishtrend's infomercial/YouTube video for their Jungle Botanics Natural Body Glow Nutshell Scrub, I was intrigued. The promise of soft and glowy skin via a gentle AND foaming scrub fit what I thought I was looking for. While I acknowledge that the video could have been edited to best feature their product, it seemed believable enough.
Wishtrend's Description:
The “Natural Body Glow Nutshell Scrub” is a body scrub that contains finely ground walnut shell granules and various natural oils from the jungle. The round-cut granules do not irritate your skin, but gently exfoliates and purifies, leaving your skin healthy, smooth, and glowing.
Round-cut Nutshell Granules
At first glance, the nutshell granules look like ordinary grains of sand. When you take a closer look, you will see the porous surface of the granules. This aids the removal of dead skin cells and other skin impurities by attracting them, making this body scrub ideal of sensitive skin. Walnut shell granules are made from 100% walnut shells, which are biodegradable, thus lowering our ecological footprint.
Energetic Jungle 10-Oils
Cacao seed butter, which ensured the skin health of Amazonian tribes for many centuries, combined with ten different natural oils extracted from various Amazonian plants intensely moisturize your skin. This special combination of natural oils will leave your skin feeling moisturized and smelling seductively sweet.
Directions
1. Squeeze moderate amount of product onto wet skin and massage in circular motion. Rinse thoroughly with water.
2. Recommended use: 2-3 times a week
Ingredients
WATER, JUGLANS REGIA (WALNUT) SHELL POWDER, SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE, GLYCERIN, TEA-LAURYL SULFATE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL LAURATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, FRAGRANCE, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, OLEYL ALCOHOL, SODIUM CHLORIDE, COCAMIDE DEA, TRIETHANOLAMINE, PEG-7 GLYCERYL COCOATE, CARBOMER, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, ZEA MAYS (CORN) STARCH, SUCROSE, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, MANNITOL, THEOBROMA CACAO (COCOA) SEED BUTTER, PENTACLETHRA MACROLOBA SEED OIL, GARCINIA INDICA SEED BUTTER, BERTHOLLETIA EXCELSA SEED OIL, ASTROCARYUM MURUMURU SEED BUTTER, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, MICA, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, ORIGANUM VULGARE LEAF EXTRACT, OCIMUM BASILICUM (BASIL) EXTRACT, MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAF EXTRACT, MALPIGHIA EMARGINATA (ACEROLA) FRUIT EXTRACT, GAULTHERIA PROCUMBENS (WINTERGREEN) LEAF EXTRACT, EUTERPE OLERACEA FRUIT EXTRACT, EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS LEAF EXTRACT, CROCUS SATIVUS FLOWER EXTRACT, COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) FRUIT EXTRACT, CITRUS AURANTIUM AMARA (BITTER ORANGE) FLOWER EXTRACT, ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM FLOWER EXTRACT, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) SEED OIL, PRUNUS PERSICA (PEACH) KERNEL OIL, PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL, MACADAMIA INTEGRIFOLIA SEED OIL, HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES OIL, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, GOSSYPIUM HERBACEUM (COTTON) SEED OIL, EUTERPE OLERACEA FRUIT OIL, CAMELLIA JAPONICA SEED OIL, ARGANIA SPINOSA KERNEL OIL, PSEUDOZYMA EPICOLA/SOYBEAN FLOUR/ARGANIA SPINOSA KERNEL OIL FERMENT FILTRATE, TIN OXIDE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, PHENOXYETHANOL, SODIUM BENZOATE, CI 77491
Scrub 250 ml / 8.4 fl oz
Wishtrend (250ml): USD $23.90
*They often have sales and deals.
Amazon - Sold by Wishtrend: ranges from USD $18-25 (price varies)
Packaging
The scrub comes in a standard squeeze tube with a flip-top cap. The opening is sealed with foil to ensure freshness. The tube itself is opaque and therefore cannot see through to precisely know how much product remains.
Since the bottle tapers down toward the cap, if left sitting in the shower, water will tend to collect inside overtime. If left for too long, obviously, mildew will form.
Color, Texture, & Scent
Caramel colored scrub that feels, looks, and smells like a sugar scrub, but it is not one. The ingredients list does not show to have any sweet sugar particles; it only has walnut shell, a lot of oils, and plant/fruit extracts. The scent does linger well after washing but isn't overpower.
The scrub spreads easily and walnut shell powder is incredibly fine; Wishtrend says the walnut shell granules are round-cut and ideal for sensitive skin. When rubbed with no water it can feel very sandy. When rubbed with water it creates a light bubbly lather.
How I Apply
Direct application // Work in sections. Squeeze the scrub directly onto skin. Gently rub with wet hands to help activate the foaming agents. Nutshell bits like to congregate together more.
With body pouf // Apply like I do if scrubbing with bare hands. Just instead of my hands, I work the nutshell scrub with a wet pouf instead. Disperses and dilutes the particles a lot.
With pumice stone or paddle // Squeeze the nutshell scrub onto the pumice and scrub away at the heels.
Thoughts & Recommendations
Since this is the first body scrub I have tried, I don't have much to compare the experience to. There are some aspects of the product that I have come to like and others I didn't.
I appreciate that the scrub is packed full of the walnut shell particles. It isn't just a tiny amount which is then padded with cleansing agents. However, this also means that actually scrubbing it around on every inch of my body typically leave my hands feeling sore and tingly. (Not abrasive or scratchy by any means but discomfort nonetheless.) Using some kind of buffer like a towel or pouf helps; yet at the same time disperses the granules too much, rendering the scrub less effective.
For those looking to cut SLS out of their lives, the Jungle Botanics scrub is not for them. I don't mind it because I like it when my cleansers and body washes bubble and foam. The lather made it easier to spread and rub the scrub around. As with using a towel or pouf to buff the particles, once the product starts to foam up that also becomes a barrier of sorts.
Applying lotion on my body is also a habit I have yet to form. Even still, my skin never feels dry or tight after using the nutshell scrub. Instead my legs and arms feel noticeably softer. I emphasize feel because it definitely doesn't look softer or glowy—I suspect my legs are too dry for that. It doesn't seem to do much for my ashy patches either even with semi-consistent use.
The soft feeling doesn't last very long, maybe a day or two at max? This seems to make sense since Wishtrend recommends using the scrub 2-3 times a week (which in reality is about every other day or every two days). I cannot comment on how long one tube would last since I took fairly long breaks while using the tube of scrub. But I can say it takes quite a bit of product to cover the entire body.
Softer feeling skin isn't enough to make this scrub a staple product for me. Had it worked wonders for my scaly ashiness, my opinions may be completely different. Had the effects lasted longer, I might reconsider. If anyone's skin isn't as extreme as mine, I don't think Jungle Botanic's Natural Body Glow Nutshell Scrub is a bad product. It is also fairly affordable and easily accessible via the manufacture's Amazon.
I try to keep my makeup simple. Instagram makeup isn't my thing. While I would love to look perfectly flawless, achieving that no-makeup, great-skin do is time-consuming and undeniably high-maintenance.
I don't typically care to do much extra for my base routine; a pat of cushion, a dab of power, and done. This was especially the case when I had pimples everywhere all the time. The bumps, flakes, and discoloration just don't look good with a ton of makeup on top. When the breakouts got to a minimum (knock of wood) the residual cheek redness and scar discoloration had me curious; are those color correctors worth the extra time spent?
Having tried some lower-end/affordable green correctors that were easily available at American drugstores—many years ago—I was weary. My memory of it is negative: pasty, dry, cakey, too pale, low-coverage, etc. Naturally, I turned to a cheaper alternative from the other side of the world (Korea).
Clio's Kill Cover Pro Artist Liquid Color Concealer seems to be popular amongst Korean YouTubers. It looks to work well with their flushed cheeks. It appears lightweight and highly spreadable, which are at the top of my checklist. The brand promises skin soothing and moisturizing properties too. The little tube of color couldn't sound any better!
Clio's Description:
Color-Correcting Shades for Flawless Coverage
Instantly conceal imperfections, leaving you with a beautifully even skin tone.
Customized Skin Tone Corrector
Designed to target specific skin concerns, color-correcting pigments combined with nourishing ingredients even out skin tone while giving skin a healthy glow.
Highly Adhesive & Long-Wearing Formula
The Flexible Film Formula seamlessly adheres to skin and provides buildable coverage for the look of a smooth surface which remains lightweight even after applying layers of makeup.
02 Green
For red, sensitive areas.
Active ingredients: eight herbs including ylang-ylang, chamomile, and hibiscus to soothe and moisturize skin.
Directions
1. Spread 02 Green over red cheeks and troublesome spots.
2. Finish by tapping with a puff for a seamless, natural finish.
Ingredients
02 Green
PURIFIED WATER, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, CETYL PEG/PPG-10/1 DIMETHICONE, DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE, DIPHENYLSILOXY PHENYL TRIMETHICONE, GLYCERIN, METHYL METHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE, CANANGA ODORATA (YLANG YLANG) FLOWER EXTRACT, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER WATER, HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA FLOWER EXTRACT, JASMINE FLOWER WATER, LAVENDER FLOWER WATER, MENTHA PIPERITA (PEPPERMINT) LEAF WATER, MENTHA ROTUNDIFOLIA (APPLE MINT) LEAF EXTRACT, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF WATER, JASMINUM OFFICINALE (JASMINE) FLOWER/LEAF EXTRACT, NELUMBIUM SPECIOSUM (LOTUS) FLOWER EXTRACT, FREESIA REFRACTA FLOWER EXTRACT, IRIS SANGUINEA FLOWER EXTRACT, LEONTOPODIUM ALPINUM (EDELWEISS) FLOWER/LEAF EXTRACT, LILIUM CANDIDUM (MADONNA LILY) STEM EXTRACT, NARCISSUS PSEUDO (NARCISSUS) FLOWER EXTRACT, ROSE EXTRACT, SORBITAN SESQUIOLEATE, MAGNESIUM SULFATE, PEG-8 DIMETHICONE, TRIBEHENIN, DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, DIMETHICONE, DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, ACRYLATES/DIMETHICONE COPOLYMER, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL ISOSTEARATE, DISODIUM EDTA, PHENOXYETHANOL, FRAGRANCE, CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS (CI 77288), YELLOW IRON OXIDE (CI 77492)
Corrector 6 g / 0.21 oz
Club Clio (Korean retail): ₩15,000
RoseRoseShop: ₩15,000
YesStyle: USD $16.90
Amazon: USD ~$12.00
Packaging
A slanted doe-foot applicator in a twist-to-open tube. The bottom portion that holds the corrector is frosted durable thick plastic or glass, hard to tell. While it is nearly impossible to see how much of the product is left in the tube because the product likes to adhere to the sides of the packaging, the angled tip makes it easier to scrape the sides.
A small detail, but something I like, is the small notch which stops anyone from over tightening the cap.
Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent
Very pale mint in color. The consistency isn't runny; liquid enough to spread easily yet still holds its shape wherever and however it is applied. Once blended the green is matte and barely noticeable. It does make my skin look brighter (or on darker skin tones even whiter)—which makes sense since Titanium Dioxide pigment, white, is the third ingredient whereas green and yellow are dead last. There is a faint floral scent but also unnoticeable when applied.
How I Apply
No matter the tool I choose to ultimately blend out the corrector, I prefer to evenly spread a thin layer of green over the entire central region of my face because it does lighten my skin-tone a bit. If I only apply it on my cheeks and chin my forehead usually looks too dark after applying foundation in comparison.
Patting and dabbing with any method is better than wiping or rubbing.
Fingers // The easiest method. My least favorite method. Blending can be uneven since fingers aren't perfectly flat.
Damp sponge // Requires the most work (have to wet and then wring dry the sponge). My most used method of late just because I've been applying foundation with a sponge as well. Blends evenly but also sheers out the coverage even more. Best for those going for a natural translucent makeup look.
Cushion puff // Takes little effort and is quick. My preferred method when trying to be as low-maintenance as I can. Blends well and gives thicker coverage but makes me look extra bright/pale.
Thoughts & Recommendations
I believe in the above photos I blended the Clio green corrector with a damp sponge.
When looking at a comparison of the corrector on my bare face, the color correction and brightening effects are obvious. As soon as I do a closeup side-by-side view (sans foundation), I start to question the correcting abilities. When I put a light-to-medium coverage foundation over top, the work the corrector does seem even more minimal. Corrector side is brighter but I want redness cancellation, not tone-up.
It looks to work okay on slightly pinkish patches of skin. In any spots where the red color concentration is higher, the corrector doesn't seem to work well. I would attribute this to the thin consistency and (lack of) green pigment.
I had been wary of the pastel green from the beginning. But found some saving grace in how blendable and lightweight the Clio Kill Cover concealer is formulated. With that said, I think that is precisely where the downfall is especially in a low-pigment corrector format. It blends into something overly sheer and all I am left with is a white cast that evens out my skin a teensy bit.
The corrector formulation doesn't settle into fine lines or pores. It isn't overly drying for something with a matte finish. But if there are any dry patches and flakes the product will like to latch onto those.
Before even considering the more expensive color correctors available, I'm glad I gave the Clio Kill Cover Liquid Color Concealer a shot. It was about a third, for some even half, the price of ones listed on Sephora. Even though this particular one didn't work miracles on me I now have a comparison on hand to help weed out what could be better formulation or to see if it is worth the money.
I won't recommend this particular color because the pigmentation is rather weak. The formulation is worth checking out, at the least, and Clio does offer an orange (peachy/salmon) color and skin tone variety concealers that from others' swatches look eons more pigmented.
