Irosie BB cream, or the French (Eco brand) going BB

BB creams of Blemish Balms have a rather long history: BBs went from a healing and covering cream after skin-related surgeries and were developed in Germany. Korean cosmetic brands took notice of this and it became Koreans best Cosmetic export product, which Japanese and other countries took notice of and made their variety. Recently it has been discovered  by the Western big cosmetic firms, and now it has gone to Ecologically certified too:

Like some of my Asian or Asian-heritage readers who were in the forefront of trying and liking BB creams, I know them for about 5 years now. I often compare of what I tried in the beginning and what has been dilluted into the more Western versions (eg Christian Dior).

I really like some improvements of the newer generations of BBs, example the greyish casts of the original versions have been tweaked in a more suitable skintone version for the Western (Caucasian) public. And some heavy balmed textures have been thinned down.

However, perhaps these were the things that made a BB cream different from an ordinary tinted moisturizer.

So, when I saw ecologically goodie brand Irosie launching their BB cream, I was happy to snag up a free sample to try out.

So 3 new things standing out:

• 98,98% of natural ingredients
• French Brand (Erborian has some French roots too, but still partly Korian too)
• ohh, a factory on Rue saint Honoré (sorry, reading the tiny letters on the package)
• Some goodie natural ingredients. like Aloe vera, Tomato seed oil, Lavendel, etc.

(ok so more than 3 things stand out)
Hence, BB cream is going mainstream in France, and after that going slightly alternative by being taken up by Organic or Ecologically certified brands such as Irosie.

Irosie, bottem shelf, 3rd from the left & does that model really need BB?

Irosie is featured in the French Elle. I also found some information from the site I got the sample from, Naturisimo.com (UK based):
The anti-inflammatory properties sounds really familiar to what the original BB creams were supposed to do: heal post-operation skin!

1st, the colour and swatches:

Applied & unblended

It is quite a heavier texture than the latest releases of (Western) BB creams, and it really reminds me of the earlier Korean versions.

Blended: 

Most of us (and the afficionadas who have been familiar with BB cream longer) like BB cream for that particular glow it gives. This one has the similar capacity to show it's glow, only it's more visible under stronger light.

I really like this glow for perking up my skin: it gives that MFBB  (My Face but Better) crediblity  that sometimes is lacking from a normal tinted moisturizer.

I estimate this BB cream to be a match for NW 20 skin (MAC conversions). 

Although the BB looks like a good match for my skintone on my arm, sometimes my face likes to fake a bit of a tan. I have found my own trick to mixing any shade of foundation of BB into something darker, and adding some bonus protection too:

* Hissyfit Saving Face SPF 50+ in Mocha

I think similar techniques of mixing foundations are being used by other beautybloggers & makeupwearers in general, although I do not read that much about it.

With an obviously darker colour such as mocha (see above) I really have to blend the mixture to have an equal colour. Also, a tiny dot will be enough for a larger mixture: Often I use a 8 to 1 ratio to go a tint darker.

How does it compare to the 1st generations of BB creams:

• Colour: it reminds me of the older (Korean) types  It gives out a cool cast on my neutral to cool skin, making it a pink-toned BB cream. It's also on the light side, perhaps best matched to a NW 20 or even a NW15.
• Scent:  Yes, this one really brings be back to the 1st Korean BB creams: it really has this medical scent, or the lavendel, that quite some Korean brands have too.
• Texture:  as mentioned earlier, a heavier type than the latest (Western/General Department store brand) releases that remind me of the earlier Korean BB types. It does blend into something thinner. I really like this for my dryer skintype, but recon it would also be good for oilier types because the antiseptic and healing lavendel is included.
• Long term effect: I have only tried this sample for 2 times, but I like the fact when I remove the makeup/BB that my skin looks healthy and radiant and almost healthier than in the morning. Not every type of foundation has this effect, often the opposite.

Conclusion:
 I really like this BB cream for its cover and glow, especially knowing I put on mostly organic and healthy ingredients on my face. It goes back to the original idea of a BB being healing and beautifying, without compromising on cover. My only problem is that the colour is not complety matched. However, I found something for this.

Availablity:
You can get a free sample with any purchase at naturisimo.com (here) or buy a full size (here). When you order anything from them before 10 February you can get 10% off with valentine's code KISSME, and on this page are some good GWP deals as well. (not affiliated, just cosmetically addicted enthousiastic)

Beauty Start

Happy Hangover's day! 

Funny that the start of the year is a difficult one for most people. I couldn't drink anything yesterday because of some antibiotics I have to take, but I'm seldom a big drinker anyway.

I'm taking some Christmas presents with me to get myself a beauty start in 2013.

Madara Set (Winter Kit)

 

 I once blogged about a product of them and I wasn't really sold about it (here). Nevertheless, I have gotten a sample of their conditioner and really liked it. 

When I went to the shop for it, they had a representative of Madara who showed me some more and gave me some samples. 

Bottom line: I bought the set above with a discount and already like some of their newer formulated samples I have tested

(For Dutch people find it over here and the rest here)  

 

They also have this newer line specified on maturing skin. Hehe, the representative told me I wasn't old enough for it so when I told her my age she told me to take it as a compliment.

True, a boring life often shows on your skin...or, what is boring? A bit of extra sunscreen only takes 20 seconds each time but can save you 4 years or more on your face.

And living healthy only makes you feel better in the long run.

Madara Sun Flower Tinted Moisturiser

A few days ago I posted a kind of wish- and doubtlist of the new things I would possibly like to have for fall. The Madara Sun Flower Tinted Moisturiser was one of them. Looking at my yes-factors compared to the no/maybe-factor, I was quite sure that I probably would enjoy this product.

Well, it is a product that is available in the Netherlands, so I was able to swatch it a couple of times and contemplate deeply if I needed it. After writing everything on the blog, I concluded that I had to try this product.

Shortly, I was lured in by the whole natural connection talk of the company...let's see what they have to say about Madara's philosophy:

Our perception of beauty is enshrined in our motto - deeper than skin. It means beauty that goes beyond external appearances. It is beauty wrought from health, love of life, warmth and summer, which you carry with you and is seen by everyone you meet on your way. Beauty is genuine emotions, a sincere smile, a kind and loving disposition towards people and nature. It is femininity and beauty in its deepest sense. It is a beauty which would not offend meadow flowers. It is the wisdom and force of nature.

I believe that this phisosoply is absolutely beautiful: a form of beauty that is lit from within. 

But ofcourse, Madara's promotion picture does not go for a 'girl with a nice personality' and inner beauty (which, as most people know, when someone say that you have 'nice personality' they often mean that they say 'do not count too much on your appearance'). 

They opted for the beautiful girl surrounded by grass...

I do like her choice of lipstick, though...she has a bit of red in her hair and she has freckles, so the bronzy/orangy lipstick looks perfect on her. I also like the peachy-terra blush on her cheeks, although it would not look so good on my cooler skin.

Opening the package, the tinted moisturizer has a pump dispenser that is hygienic to use.

The ingredients look promising:

The tinted moisturizer is darker than my own skintone. I deliberately picked the darkest colour: Sun Flower. I could have picked Moon Flower, but I wanted a sort of faker product to use when I feel a bit pasty.

It takes a long, long time before it finally seems to blend into the skin. It stays on a bit too long for my liking.

Testing the product at home, I felt a bit insecure about my purchase. It looks a lot more like a highlighter product, such as MAC strobe cream, than a tinted moisturizer. In this swatch, you can see that it looks glowy and bronzy from afar:

 

However, close up.....

Ooooh my G...how did I missed that during swatching? It has fine glitters in them!
(you can click on that picture to see a more close, and scary view of my skin and Madara Sun Flower applied)

Shortly, I had applied this product all over my face when going outside on a day with sunshine. I should not have done that, because I was a semi-kind of disco-ball.

Ok ok, it was not that dramatic, but I did not find it subtle enough to qualify for a 'unmade-up' look that I normally want from a tinted moisturizer.

It makes a wonderful night-time product, though. But for me at daytime, it looks a bit unnatural to me. At least, when applied to the whole face.

Moreover, I am not too charmed of its scent: it is a herbal garden gone psychedelic and it lingers quite long under my nose. It was ok when I swatched it on my hand, but under my nose it was absolutely too scented. With this O.D. on herbal scent, I also had the feeling that my skin itched a bit...I am not sure if that is psychological, or physical. But whatever reason caused the slightly itchy skin, it was related to wearing the tinted moisturizer.

Uhoh, I am always aware when reviewing something that the cosmetic company will not be to happy about it. But hey, I aim to make honests review based upon my personal opinion, and not for the sake of promoting products and receiving things for a good promotion..

Moreover, it proves that not everything natural will always work like a charm. Sometimes, the beautiful and natural ingredients can be even more hindering to the over-sensitive skins. 

Overall, after all my serious contemplation I thought I would be absolutely happy with this, but I threw another € 24.95 down the drain.

24.95 euros...and it did not work for me

I probably can still make someone happy with it during a give-away, but boohoo, I wanted to make myself happy with this purchase.

Overal, I asked myself the question if this product would qualify for the normal girls with flaws, instead of models and gorgeous women only...?

Answer: Mmm, well...it perhaps can work on someone else, but it did not work for me.