Lancome Pure Focus Matifying Moisturizing Lotion

I've been testing out moisturizers for the past few months, on my search for that "HG product." I have combination skin and my biggest woe is constant shine. Anyone who knows me knows that I am basically attached to my MAC Blot Powder, haha! But in conjunction with my powders and foundations, I realized that a good mattifying moisturizer might also help.

I had been using Lush Enzymion (which did nothing and I do not recommend) before I decided to splurge on this Lancome Pure Focus Matifying Moisturizing Lotion. And I mean splurge... this stuff was expensive! I think it was almost $60 CAD with taxes (although you can get it for much cheaper in the States and possibly elsewhere in Canada though I'm not sure).

You get 50 mL of product in rather nice packaging. The bottle comes with a removable plastic cap, and of course, the best part is the pump applicator. This allows you to control how much product you use so you don't have to waste any.

The actual product is very light-weight, almost like a gel. It absorbs into the skin quickly and doesn't feel heavy. In fact, it's quite refreshing in a "cooling sensation" kind of way. It also leaves the skin feeling quite smooth and velvety. Initially. This is where my positive impressions kind of end.

Pure Focus is supposed to be a mattifying moisturizer, but when it came to shine protection, I was rather disappointed. Although this moisturizer does work better than others I've tried and at least didn't break me out, my skin stays shine-free for maybe 1-2 hours before I am back to blotting away. Honestly, if I am paying this much for a product, I expect it to last longer than that.

I'm also not a huge fan of the scent. It's a very strong floral-type fragrance that I'm sure some do like but I personally cannot stand.

So unfortunately, Pure Focus and me were not meant to be. I'm starting to wonder if this mythical shine-free moisturizer actually exists...

P.S. On my nails, I'm wearing Wild Orchid from the Color Club Indulgence Collection which I just blogged about. It's an awesome grey with subtle purple tones (has much more dimension than the "flat" AA Factory Grey.)

Color Club Indulgence Collection: Pretty in Platinum

I recently picked up one of Color Club's Fall 2010 sets, Indulgence, from the Untamed Luxury Collection. It's a collection that's very "me" - full of neutral and dark colours that are mostly creme formulas. My faves!

L-R: Pretty in Platinum, Wild Orchid, Positively Posh, Soft As Cashmere, Nothing But Truffle, Jewel Of A Girl, Ready To Royal

I've been wanting to try Color Club for quite a while now but it's not readily accessible here in Canada. Thankfully, every so often, sets will appear at Winners (where I found this one) or London Drugs.

I decided to start out with Pretty in Platinum because it was the first colour that caught my eye and I don't have any similar polishes in my collection. It's a gorgeous silvery-greyish-white with a very subtle shimmer. LOVE IT.

Application was great. This was opaque in only two coats though the streaks are somewhat visible due to the light colour. Not really noticeable, however.

Dry time was really fast, as well. I sometimes like to skip top coat if I'm in a rush, but you definitely need to wear a top coat with this polish. I initially had Pretty In Platinum on my nails without top coat for only a few hours and was left with visible tip wear.

Nonetheless, this was a good first experience with Color Club, and I can't wait to try out the other colours in the Indulgence set. You can expect to see more blog posts featuring these polishes soon!

Avenue Q

Blouse: boutique in Sydney, Australia / Bandage Skirt: Talula (Aritzia) / Wool Tights: The Bay

Booties: David Dixon (via Town Shoes) / Beaded Cuff: gift from South Africa



Yesterday, I went to see Avenue Q! I've wanted to see this musical for ages, ever since I first found clips of the song "What Do You Do with a B.A. in English?" on Youtube. I also have a B.A. in English so this was kind of funny, haha!

For those of you who haven't heard of it, Avenue Q is an award-winning Broadway musical that features both puppets/their puppeteers and human characters. It's pretty unique in this way, and the storyline/topics are clever and relevant. Not to mention the fact that the songs are hilarious (i.e. "If You Were Gay", "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist", "The Internet is for Porn", etc.)

I had a great time and left feeling thoroughly entertained. Avenue Q is on tour right now and will be in Vancouver till the end of the week. So glad I managed to get tickets... if you get the opportunity to see this, I highly recommend it!