L'oreal Youth Code Day Lotion SPF 30 Review

ASOS kindly included the L'oreal Youth Code Day Lotion SPF 30 as a free gift with my recent purchase and I was happy to get it since it is something I   would be able use. I'm currently a happy recurring user of Eucerin Daily Protection Moisturizing Face Lotion SPF 30 but am always on a lookout for similar products that I can try since I simply love trying out new skincare products.

I've seen the Youth Code commercials but never really paid any attention to it. From its name, I gathered it has some anti-aging effects as well. After trying it on for several days, here's a breakdown of the pros and cons based on my experience. I should note here that I have very oily skin.

Pros

Sleek packaging with user friendly lock pump. The pump bottle has a turn and click lock that I find very convenient, no need to be afraid of product oozing out should you leave it in your bag.

Combines moisturizer and sun protection and anti-aging technology in 1 product. I wake up at 5am in the morning. I will not give up sleep to preen myself, so I am thankful for products that are multi purpose.

Lightly floral scented, easy on the nose

Cons

Makes my skin oily 4 hours after application. It creates a slick feeling I hate and even after blotting, the stickiness remains. Major flaw in my opinion as an oily face makes me uncomfortable the rest of the day.

Price point is rather high. At $19.99 (Target's price) for a 1.7oz bottle, I don't see the value since my 4oz Eucerin costs less than $10.

In conclusion, I regret to inform I would not be a buyer of this product. Perhaps it is more geared towards consumers with normal to dry skin.

Lipsticks

I have been, and still am, going through a retail therapy phase. I wanted to come across as a more serious professional rather than just look like I have just rolled outta bed. So, I've been adding items to my would like to have list. My mum always says a woman should at the bare minimum put on lipstick as it it just common courtesy. I've never been a fan of lipstick. I find it hard to find a color I like and I hate the constant reapplying or having hair stuck to your gloss issues to deal with. Nonetheless, they are cheap and it has been said that even in recessions, lipstick sales hold up as women would still buy inexpensive items to satisfy their vanity.

I wanted a barely there look, something that will look good but isn't high maintenance. I looked online and found great reviews for Clinique's chubby stick and colors look very neutral, nothing screams tramp. Looking at color swatches online, I was fairly certain I will be getting either Super Strawberry or Chunky Cherry.  When I tried those on, they seemed too bright on me and clashes with my skin color.  In the end, I left with Graped Up.  The color is very similar to my natural lip color so that fulfills my barely there criteria.

Next day, I went to Ulta, hoping to get a NYX or Rimmel lipstick since they are so cheap and have great reviews.  Since I wasn't able to try the lipsticks on my lips, I was apprehensive about buying some color that looks nice on its own but may not match well with my skin tone.  Not wanting to play safe and get a natural pink shade, I stumbled upon L'oreal's lipgloss.  The Candy Apple caught my eye (I've been on a red/fuschia binge).  The color is very pigmented and looks harsh if I apply too much.  However, a little goes a long way.  If I apply a regular layer and then blot it off with a tissue or just apply a thin layer, I get a red tinted look, kinda like Benetint.

beauty products review

one of the presents i requested for my birthday was the shu uemura uv under base mousse.  i have been rather intrigued by the product after watching 女人我最大.  the mousse just looked so easy to apply and i've been looking for something that will help my makeup stay longer and to cover up my enormous pores.  my friend managed to get it in the limited edition packaging and it looks really pretty.

so how did the product fare?  application was, as i thought, super easy.  the pump is easy to control so you don't get a big glob of mousse.  it went on evenly, you don't have to worry much about it not blending in nicely.  the mousse smells really nice, a light floral scent.  it comes with spf 30 so i was able to skip my usual eucerin moisterizer + sunblock.  

the coverage probably ranges from light to medium though u can layer to get slightly better coverage.  it does help to minimize the looks of my pores a little though nothing life changing here.  the disappointment was that it didn't help my makeup stay longer or better.  i tried pairing the under base with my mineral foundation, my compact powder and my liquid foundation, all did not stay on longer than if i were to wear them alone.  in fact, it makes my skin oilier by mid day and the foundation i have on top tends to "slip off" easier.  i'm still undecided on the product, would really like to try it different ways to make it work since so many people seem to rave about it

next up is the biore aqua rich UV face mousse spf 50+ PA +++.  i first saw this product in taiwan last year but think i didn't have enough twd in the end so did not buy it.  recently saw it selling at those discount beauty stores in chinatown and decided to have a go at it.

i really like the product. it contains hyaluronic acid so i skip moisturizer when i use it for the day (i tend to find products that can double up as moisturizer and sunscreen coz i hate applying multiple products in the morning and it's time consuming).  it isn't exactly mousse-like but the texture is very light, somehwhat like whipped cream.  it goes on smoothly, does not have a white cast that most sunscreens give you.  it is not sticky at all (yay!) and even feels a little refreshing, so makeup goes on nicely.  given that it has been so warm these few days, this sunscreen seems sufficient for my moisturizing needs though i'm not sure how it will fare in a colder, drier country. having said that, i'm still gonna buy a few more tubes to bring with me to the states.