Product Review: NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder

For my second review, I’ll be reviewing the NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder inSunny (720).  The description on the NYC website is: “It glides on easily for a sheer bronze glow that looks like you just stepped off the beach. It is easy to use everywhere and is perfect for quick touch-ups throughout the day. “

I’ve heard that this is a pretty good dupe for Benefit’s Hoola bronzer, but I don’t own that bronzer so I can’t really give my own comparison.  Sorry, folks!  Anyways, I’m going to get onto my actual review.

General Thoughts

PRICE:  It retails for $2.99, so you can’t really beat the price here!  The Hoola bronzer retails for around $28, so if it turns out that this bronzer is a pretty good dupe, it’s a great bargain!

SCENT:  It has no real detectable scent.

FEEL:  This bronzer is definitely more on the powdery side.  It doesn’t exactly crumble when you touch it, but if you’re looking for a silky-feeling kind of powder that feels kinda creamy, this definitely isn’t it.  Product isn’t kicked into the air when you swirl a brush around, which is a plus, though!

PIGMENT:  This bronzer is pretty sheer and leans on the orange-y side.  It is completely matte. As you can see above, one swipe of product is definitely light coverage, while you really need 4-5 swipes to see the true effect of the bronzer.  It blends pretty easily!

PACKAGING: I like the fact that this packaging is sturdy.  It’s a compact that comes with a little mirror and it snaps closed.  This would be great for throwing in your purse as the mirror would be helpful for touch-ups and I definitely can’t see it opening up in your bag as it’s pretty secure once you close it.  I would say that the packaging is really basic, yet very functional at the same time.

VERDICT:  Overall, I think this is a great find! In terms of staying powder, on its own it stays for about 4 hours, but over a foundation the color lasts me the entire day.  For my skin tone, even though it is more on the orange side, I can use it for a contour (or at least my attempt at a contour, but we can get into that at a later date), but those of you with lighter-toned skin might not be able to do so.  The price is great and the sheerness of it doesn’t really bother me since that’s what I prefer, but if you’re looking for a more opaque bronzer, this might not work for you.  This is another 4 out of 5 ninja stars for me!

Facial mask review: Lululun Moisture Pink edition

LuLuLun is a facial mask brand that has featured in several beauty magazines in Japan, making it very popular in the country but also in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

I wanted to try those masks as they are not really expensive, and the package looked cute ^^ There are different types of those masks, Moist (pink), High Moisture (Blue), and Translucent Light (White).  All three are known for containing ingredients that reduce the production of melanin in the skin and to calm it. They also are good for sensitive skins, as they are fragrance, color, and mineral oil free! I chose the first one which is the basic moisturizing mask, available on a package of 42 sheets, or a travel pack of 7 sheets.

First, I was surprised as the package does not have the color of the photo but it was most a metallic pink instead of a plain baby pink as I was expecting. Just a detail. The package is cute, with instructions at the back, but no English. You just have some drawings to help but as it’s easy and you don’t need to be super smart to place a facial mask (…do you?), it’s not a problem ^^

The sheets are closed in a zip bag so it guarantees the freshness and you can close it back once you took your sheet. The biggest problem I found with that system is that the sheets are all stuck together, and it’s not easy to take only one. The first time I tried, I found my hands with 2 sheets and full of product… Plus, they are not easy to take off as they are deep in the bag.
Well, for the price you can’t really complain but once you’ll get one sheet, your problems won’t stop as it’s very hard to unfold it because it’s made in very thin and fragile cotton.

  ©nattacosme

Anyhow, once you’ll find the way and not have lost your temper, the sensation of the mask against your skin is very fresh! (Maybe a little too fresh sometimes). So your skin can relax while absorbing the essence. The sheet sticks well to your face so you can do whatever you want, it won’t fall off, but personally I prefer to take this time to relax myself and to stay lie on the bed with closed eyes.

When you will remove the sheet, you will be totally relaxed and your skin will be refreshed and very moisturized! The skin is not sticky, and will stay soft. I really liked this sensation, as it proves that your skin really absorbed the most of the product and liked it :D

These masks are made for a daily use, but as it stays really fresh in the package, you can easily use them only twice per week if you want.
Will I buy them again? I’m not sure yet, but maybe I’ll try the other types to see ^^ These are not the best facial masks that you can find, I think. But they are good for quickly moisturizing your skin and if you have a low budget. The travel package is very practical with very thin but secured bag.

 ©nattacosme

Main ingredients:
• Hyaluronic acid: High-quality moisturizing.
• EGF: Promotes turnover of skin cells.
• Arupuchin: Suppresses melanin production to promote glowing, bright skin.
• Papain: Disassemble the sebum,remove blackheads and corneum.
• Soybean extract: Gently soothe troubled skin.
• Polyglutamic acid: Nine times more moisturising than hyaluronic acid.
• Lecithin: Support the penetration of the above ingredients.

Taken from eyecandy

How to use:

-  Apply the mask after cleansing the face
- Leave it for 10-15 minutes
- Remove the mask and gently massage the skin to make it absorb the remaining essence

Note: Product expires 80 days after opening. 

Pros: 
♥ Price (can vary from shops, can go from 4€ to 9€)
♥ Fresh sensation that relaxes the skin
♥ Well moisturizing effect, with no sticky feeling
♥ Can be used daily, or less regularly
♥ Good for sensitive skins

Cons:▼ The sheets are thin and stuck together
▼ Not easy to take them off from the bag without getting a lot of essence on the hands

Recommending? :
Yes, if you have low budget and that you don’t mind getting annoyed when you try to unfold the sheets ^^