Two Dupes for the Hourglass Ambient Blush in Mood Exposure

Hi everyone

Today I am writing about two potential dupes for a really popular blush. Hourglass Ambient Blush in the shade Mood Exposure. It comes in the Hourglass blush palette and it is the one on the right end side.

When I received the blush palette for last Christmas after I asked for it, I was super excited. These blushes are high quality and the shades are just beautiful. I have always been a big fan of a neutral/mauve/rose kind of blush, kinda difficult to explain... like Benefit's Dallas and Rockateur. Not super pink, just a blush that works with almost everything... and Hourglass Mood Exposure is just like that. 

I posted the other day about the new Max Factor Creme Puff blushes and wrote there that they might be a dupe for the Hourglass blushes, and guess what, one of those shades is quite similar to Mood Exposure.

I also bought few items from the new KIKO spring line, and while I was swatching the blushes the other day I found again, that one blush from the mosaic line is very similar to Mood Exposure. 

From left to right 

Hourglass Mood Exposure - Max Factor Nude Mauve - KIKO Santa Rose

There are however few differences between these formulas, 

Hourglass Mood Exposure is the smoothest and has the most pigmentation, still it is not going to be too much on your cheeks so you don't have to worry about having too much blush on. It definitely is a glowing blush that blends seemingless into the skin.

I am not the best with describing colors, but I would say it’s a dusky rose nude with a little plum/mauve undertones. It has an amazing finish, satin and very glowing. 

Max factor in Nude Mauve has a little more shine to it than the hourglass one, it is also a little bit more nude and has more mauve undertones than the hourglass.

I would actually say that it is very similar in texture and blends just as well into the skin (maybe a little bit better actually). 

The KIKO blush in Sand Rose is the least pigmented and not as soft as the other ones to the touch. It would be more suited for someone that is hard handed with their blush.

It is called sand rose and i would say it has more rose tone than the hourglass one but it is very close in shade, it is just a different texture and less pigmented. it is not as soft to blend out as the hourglass. However today I just wanted to wear minimum makeup and I grabbed this blush and it was perfect. since it is a little less pigmented than the other ones it is easy to use when you are in a hurry because it is difficult to make mistakes. 

Comparing these three is very difficult, the all look amazing on the skin. I would just recommend you go for the one that is more available to you and the one that is in your budget. 

I think the way I would rate them is the Tourglass, Max Factor and KIKO. I still love the KIKO one I just prefer how smooth the texture is of the other ones. I would refer the Hourglass over the Max Factor because it is more pigmented and is not as shiny as the max factor one, just really glowing.

The big diffrence is the price, the Hourglass blush palette is £56 and induvidually the blush is £28 (link here), the Max Factor blush is £8,99 (link here) and the KIKO blush is £11,90 (link here)

All these blushes are beautiful and I think that finding a dupe for something is not necessarily the same shade or texture, just how it ends up looking on the skin. These all look really similar on the skin and I am just obsessed with glowing nude-ish blush at the moment.

What is your favorite blush at the moment?

I posted a photo on Insagram/FB earlier today of some healthy Almond and Blueberries muffins, I asked of you wanted a post about them but since I forgot to take pictures while baking, I will just post it on Margretscorner on Facebook with the recipe :)

Definetly check it out here :)

Thank you for reading 

Margrét 

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First Impression on the Max Factor Creme Puff Blushes and FOTD ft Laura Mercier Caviar Stick

Hi Everyone!

I spotted the new Max Factor Creme Puff blushes the other day in Boots and just had to try them. I had only seen few pictures of them but no reviews when I bought them. As soon as I came home I found few reviews and some people were saying these were a dupe for the Hourglass ambient light blushes! Well I do have the Hourglass blush palette and now I have three of the Max Factor Creme Puff blushes. 

First off, I like the packaging, it is not to big and it is very sturdy. 

The product itself is amazing, I wouldn't necessarily say it is exact dupe for the hourglass blushes, however this is probably the closest drugstore formula you can get. 

The creme puff blushes are so smooth and feel like silk. The blend effortless into the skin and leave a beautiful glow. First time wearing the nude shade it lasted all day. Sometimes blushes wear off on my cheeks but it lasted a long time.

The shades are amazing. I love love the nude shade called Nude Mauve and I think it is my favorite. Seductive Pink is beautiful and the Gorgeous Berries is kinda like a pinker version of Nars Dolce Vita.

I am wearing the Nude Mauve blush and here are the rest of the products I used for my face. 

For my base I used the Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude Fluid Touch Foundation, I am very curious about this foundation. (a new drugstore product) I have only used it few times and I really like it. I own the YSL Fusion Ink Foundation and so far the Maybelline is soo similar to it. I really should to a comparison because I honestly can't see much difference. The Maybelline foundation has a medium coverage and leaves a silk/velvet finish on the skin. I did end up blotting my foundation an hour after I applied it because I didn't set it when I applied it first. 

I used my Collection Lasting Perfection concealer under my eyes and around my nose and chin. 

I added a bit of warmth with the Too Faced Milk Chocolate bronzer and did a light contouring with it as well. 

The blush is the Max Factor Creme Puff lush in Nude Mauve, like I wrote about earlier :)

Eyeshadow is the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color in Burnished Bronze and I just apply it straight on my eyelid and then blend it out with my fingers. I used MAC Vanilla Pigment for my inner corner and I have really been obsessed with it recently. I actually used a tiny bit of my Urban Decay Naked Basic 2 palette to blend the crease out and the lightest shade on my brow bone. 

I have been lining my eyes quite heavily recently and I used Makeup Revolution Double Flick eyeliner on my top lash line and then the Too Faced eyeliner on my waterline.

My brow pencil is from Soap and Glory and my current favorite mascara is the YSL Volume Effect Faux Waterproof Mascara.  

Again as always... I forgot to take a picture of my lipstick but it is the Revlon matte balm in Elusive.

Well I am loving this look because it is so easy and Hello three day old hair! It's my new thing to curl it and then it just lasts ages and I love it!

Hope you enjoyed this post, let me know what you think? And if you have tried the new blushes what do you think? Do you maybe fancy trying them? :D

Thanks for reading

Margrét 

Just a little heads up, I am trying to change most of my social media all to MargretsCorner and soon the blog itself will change.

Here are my newest links since some of my old one have stopped working :)

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Aaaaand I know this blog has been dead in January but I have been a bit ill and having a crap time so.... but I promise things can't get any worse haha so things will start to look a bit more alive..

Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow + FOTD

Hi Everyone 

I saw a blog post about these new eye shadows few days ago and all of a sudden I was in Boots taking advantage of the 3 for 2 offer... Recently I have been obsessed with cream eye shadows so I knew I had to try these out. 

I picked the two most neutral shades out of the range but there are four other shades available. 

I am talkin about the Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadows.

The texture of these are very different from the Maybelline Color tattoo (my first thought when I saw them was: yess more drugstore cream shadows!). 

The texture of these are like a gel. They are very smooth to apply and easy to blend. 

They are called excess shimmer and they are very metallic shimmer shadows, but not too much shimmer. 

The packaging is a glass jar and you get 7g of product.

The pigmentation of these are great but when you blend them out with your fingers it sheers them out a bit. You can build them up, like I did but I did get some creasing (as you can see in the picture below). I used the Urban Decay Primer Potion but I still got a little creasing. I have really oily eyelids but most of the times a good primer does the trick. 

I think that these shades are perfect for everyday and because it is so easy to blend them  and you can use them in a rush. 

I also used the Urban Decay naked basic 2 palette on my eyes. I used the lightest color (Skimp) as a brow bone and inner corner highlighter, then I took the warm brown shade (Cover) and applied a tiny bit to help blend the shadows out in my crease.

I think that the Max Factor eyeshadows are also great for a base. 

The makeup for the rest of my face:

Base: I used my Dior Nude foundation, I have been eyeing up the Dior Star foundation so if anyone has tried it let me know if it is worth it. The Dior Nude foundation is actually really good, it gives me a natural medium coverage. It dries to a glowing satin finish. I used one of my favourite concealers, Nars Radiance Creamy Concealer. To set my foundation and concealer I used the Nars Light Reflecting Pressed setting powder. (oh this powder... more on that soon)

My contour and blush are from the new Nars palette, the holiday collection 2014, the palette is called Virtual Domination. The bronzer is called Laguna and the blush is Deep Throat, I own a full size of the blush and it is one of my all time favorite blush

Mascara and eyeliner are both from L'oreal. The mascara is discontinued but I had a brand new one stacked away and now its almost finished and that makes me sad! haha

The eyeliner is a new one from L'oreal called So Couture Super Liner. So easy to use because the tip is very slim and glides on. 

I forgot to take a picture of the eyebrow pencil but it is the new Soap and Glory Brow Archery and the new version of the pencil is amazing. 

The lipstick I am wearing is the Nars Audacious lipstick in Vera

Overall I like these shadows and I think they are definitely worth the £7.99 and now they are currently on the 3 for 2 offer at Boots and Superdrug :)

Have you tried them, what did you think?

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February Favorites 2014

Hi Everyone, I don't know what is wrong with me but I have had this post written and pictures taken but somehow I did not manage to post it!

Just ignore the title of the post haha! I will just make a little short post about my February favorites.

But February was long for me, my boyfriend moved back to London so now I am in a long distance relationship that is major change. I was feeling a bit under the weather all through Febuary, I hope March will be much better and in a few days I will be heading myself to London, so excited!

Let's start with the e.l.f Warm Bronzer, this has been on my face non stop since I got it. I either use it as a bronzer to warm up my face or just as my blush but then just using the shades on the right. I think that all the colors are beautiful and last all day on my cheeks.

Same favorite since last month, the Maybelline Falsies Mascara. I did manage to use it this month but to be honest it is getting very dry and I think I will buy it again because it is that good!

I used MAC Soft Ochre almost every day either as a base or just all over the eyelid to cancel out how dark they are. 

And again, I have been loving the Max Factor Facefinity Foundation, I just love how easy it is to use it and the coverage is just amazing. I did do a first impression if you want to see it here. 

For my eyes I used the Clinique Chubby Stick for eyes in Lavish Lilac regularly. It is just so easy to make a daytime smokey look or as a base for a night time look. 

They two eyeliners I have been loving are the Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeline in Stingray (black) and Lionfish (bronze). I used the black on my upper and bottom waterline and then lined the top lash line with the bronze shade. They are so creamy, opaque and waterproof. I have already photograph them separately for a post that is coming soon.

Well thats that!

I am going to write another post now and hopefully I will post it soon :D

Btw.. Am I the only one that is the queen of pushing things back? 

Thanks for reading :D

Margrét

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FOTD with first impressions on the Max Factor Facefinity Foundation and a little bit of MAC

Hi Everyone

This is going to be a long post... Today I was trying out a new foundation and I want to share with you my first impression, I was also using my two new MAC products for the first time today and I think they will be included in tomorrows post.  

I also really liked the makeup today, I thought it was very fresh and easy so I also have a FOTD included in today's post :)

I might be a little crazy, but I have few unopened foundations since I have a slight obsession with foundations and I like to try out new ones. But I was feeling a bit down today so I was going through my makeup and I figured for a little pick me up, why not try out a new foundation.
In the blogging world everyone talks about the Max Factor Facefinity 3 in 1 Foundation or the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation. If you didn't know already, these are the same foundation. Covergirl and Maxfactor are the same brand, with most of the same products.

Everyone raves about this foundation and I have had it sitting in my drawers for a long time still unopened. I thought this was the perfect day to try it out. 

Let's just start with the packaging, it is a glass bottle which I prefer and has a pump. I have the shade in Warm Almond 45, and so far it is a great color match. Before I bought it, months ago when I live in London, I did match myself and try it out a little bit while I was at work but never used it on my full face.
According to the Boots website they have 6 shades available and I have the second lightest. I remember the lightest one, Ivory was a bit too yellow for me. 

Let's ignore the just got out of the shower hair... :)

I have a bit of redness around my nose and my lovely dark circles to cover up. (the picture on the left)
I just pumped the foundation on to the back of my hand, took a brush and dotted it around my face (the picture in the middle) and then buffed it in. 

I already had a primer and I think that was not a great idea. This foundation is supposed to act like your primer, foundation and concealer. I felt that it looked a bit patchy on my nose, I do honestly think it was the primer I used before and that the foundation did not work well with it.
However I love the coverage that it gives, I mean it is soo natural but matte at the same time. I feel like it has somewhat of a satin finish and if I was in a hurry I would not have to use a concealer or a powder with this foundation. 

I love the color, I have such a pale face and the color matches my neck perfectly. 

You can see how it covers the redness on my nose and chin. I applied the smallest amount on my eyelids and my eyelids are so dark and the foundation just made them look normal. I think it is just so natural.

Overall the Max Factor Facefinity Stay Flawless Foundation 3 in 1 had fantastic first impression on me. I will continue to use it for a while and I will let you guys know if all of the sudden I don't like it. I really don't see that happening since I this is a great foundation and it is late in the evening when I am writing this and my foundation is still fairly flawless. I am so impressed. 

Then I went ahead and finished the rest of my makeup

The most exciting item I used was my new MAC products from the Magnetic Nude Collection, I picked up a eyeshadow called Sweet Heat and a blush called Autoerotique.

That eyeshadow is so beautiful, I have a tiny bit of neutral brown eyeshadow in my crease and then just the MAC eyeshadow in Sweet Heat all over my lid, I love this eyeshadow.. I wish I could marry it and we could have pretty eyeshadow babies..
Anyway I am also just wearing my e.l.f. liquid eyeliner and the Maybelline Falsies Mascara.
I have the Rimmel Scandaleyes eyeliner in nude in my waterline because I wanted to keep it very soft.

Here are all the products I used:

I did not really need concealer on the rest of my face but I did have to use the Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Peach under my eyes.
To set everything and make it stay all day I used my MAC Mineralize skinfinish Natural in Light. I lightly applied it in my t-zone and to set my concealer.

For my eyelid primer I used Too faced shadow Insurance and then of course the prettiest eyeshadow, MAC Sweet Heat all over the lid. 

I am also in love with the blush MAC Autoerotique, it blends out so well and the color is just to die for. 

So here is my FOTD, after I finally dried and straightened my hair: 

So there you have it, have you tried out this foundation? 

Thanks for reading

Margrét
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What's in my Make Up Bag : Travel Edition (Summer 2013)

Hi Everyone, 
I was going through my drafts and I found a post that was ready to be posted but somehow I forgot. 
I hope you don't mind me posting this now, I did take this makeup with me on a weekend trip this summer (Camping) but I do like all the products still and I would probably take very similar/same makeup with me next time.

...
I love what's in my makeup bag posts but it is difficult for me to make those since i don't keep my makeup in a bag.

But when I do go away, I make sure I pick makeup I will use!

Some might think that I do take a lot of make up with me, but i rather be prepared than not to bring what I need. I think that with this makeup it is fairly standard for a every day make up. 

I had to take my Dr. Jart BB cream, this is by far the best BB cream I have tried and it has SPF 25 so it was my sun screen. I used the BB cream every morning since there was sun and it gave me natural coverage as well. As for a foundation I brought the MUA Undress Me foundation. I just used the foundation later on in the day to give me natural coverage. It is a great foundation and it is only five pounds! 

Unfortunately I can have very dark under eye circles and especially since I only slept for few hours the Bobbi Brown corrector in soft porcelain was very appreciated, as for a concealer the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer is a good medium coverage with natural finish and I also used that around my eyes.

For a finishing powder I took my Rimmel Stay Matte powder. I didn't really use that to much. For a blush I brought my NYX blush in Angel, I have a review of this blush here. It is one of my favourite blush ever. I also brought the e.l.f. Contour and Blush duo. Just to have some option and I like the bronzer in this duo, it works well to do a soft contour.

As for the eyes I have my trusted Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze and that is the easiest eye look you could do. I also have my Wet n` Wild eyeshadow trio in Walking on Egshells, the lightest color is amazing as a inner corner highlighter and the middle color is amazing as a all over lid color. This is such.a great trio. For a blending color in my crease I love NYX single eyeshadow in Taupe. It is so smooth and  you can bland any  look with this color.

I did go a bit overboard with eyeliner but I do love the Revlon colorstay Eyeliner in Brown. You don't have to sharpen it and it is so easy to apply it to my top lash line for a bit of definition. I really want to get the same in black. But as for a black eyeliner I have the Max Factor eyeliner in black. Its ok, I just wanted it with me and I did use it one evening when I wanted more defined liner. I also took Avon SuperShock eyeliner in Flash and this color is great for the waterline. If you want brighter eyes this is great. 

I also have my favorite eyebrow pencil and that is Maybelline eyebrow pencil in Dark Blonde. I love this pencil. I also have a mascara and I have been using the Dior Showoff in black.

For lips it's all Revlon haha, you can't go wrong with a Lip Butter and I took Wild Watermelon and Strawberry Shortcake, you can see both of them here in a post I did all about the lip butters. I also have the Revlon Kissable balms stain in Honey and this is a great balm stain. I really like it. It stays on for a long time and does not dry out my lips. I have been going for moisturizing lip products since my lips have been quite dry lately

The brushes I have with me are
Real Technique Buffing Brush, duo fibre powder brush (for blush/bronzer) and the big powder brush.
For my eyes I have the No7 eyeshadow blend & Contour brush, Real Technique Shading Brush, Sigma E45 and the MAC 224 blending brush



I also had to bring my eyelash curlers, Tweezers and the Nivea Lip Butter!
You never know when you need a Tweezers...

So all the makeup was crammed into a bag and out for a travel. I did put the brushes in a brush roll but all the makeup fitted well into my clear makeup bag.

I did use all these products for the time I was there and I was very happy with my selection, I did not find that I needed anything else so I just wanted to share this with you guys

Better late than never right?

Thanks for reading
Margrét
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