Cover FX custom cover drops N20 - comparison swatches

I'll keep this brief, but I had to share comparison swatches for Cover FX custom cover drops in shade N20. I am late to the custom cover drops hype train, but I really wanted to try them. I went to Sephora to get color matched because I wasn't sure what shade I would be. The guy at Sephora color matched me to N20.

Let me be the first to say that N20 is not my shade and color matching at Sephora is a total crap shoot.

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre loose powder swatches & review // 20 Clair (translucent 1) on dry pale skin

Basics: 

• $52 for 1 ounce / 30 grams, which is a pretty good price considering that many loose powders contain less grams of product. If you use up loose powders regularly, it pays to shop in price per gram. 
• Comes in a huge mouth jar with a puff. The puff isn't great, I only used it a few times. I love the packaging for home use, but I wouldn't recommend traveling with loose powders.
• This powder is talc, nylon-12, and silica based, making it one of the most finely milled and delicate of the 'traditional' loose powders. The texture is more substantial feeling than the 100% silica powders or corn starch based formulas on the market.
• Soft matte finish, great for setting foundation. Not as good for touchups.
• It can be applied to look natural on the skin, but you will have to pay special attention to application to achieve a truly invisible look. If you are heavy handed or tend to sweep powder on with a brush, it could look dry or visible on the skin. 

Can fair skin use 20 Clair?
 One of my concerns was if the shade 20 clair was appropriate for very light or fair skin. I'm neutral and very fair (L'Oreal True Match N1 or Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk 2) and was worried 20 clair would be too dark. As you can see in the swatch below, 20 Clair works for fair skin. I tapped the powder on heavily for a swatch because a sheer swatch is translucent on my skin.

Update: Who owns who? Corporate ownership of global makeup brands

My mega post on the corporate ownership of cosmetics brands is one of the most popular ever on my blog, so with all of the new news lately I thought it was time for an update.


Unsurprisingly, L'Oreal and Estee Lauder have continued with substantial M&A activity, notably with L'Oreal's purchase of It Cosmetics and Estee Lauder's purchase of Too Faced and Becca. Shiseido has also been busy, creating a new prestige makeup division and purchasing Laura Mercier. E.l.f. has gone public under the leadership of TPG Growth.

The post update includes:

• Updated 2016 information
• New graphics accounting for 2016 news
• New information on which makeup brands are not owned by a conglomerate or private equity company
• Reader requests to include new brands

Click here to read the updated post! If you have any questions or requests for info on a brand you are curious about, please leave me a comment. 

Is it a dupe? Urban Decay sin vs Stila kitten eyeshadow

I totally get why Stila Kitten and Urbay Decay Sin are popular eyeshadow shades - both are shimmery champagne nudes that light up the eye. What I don't get is why people online treat them like dupes. I have owned both for a long time and they serve totally different purposes in my collection.

Let's take a look at some swatches and the differences will make themselves clear.

How long does it take for cream products to dry up?

Seriously though, how long do cream products actually last before they are so dry and crusty you can't use them? Makeup packaging has little icons that say when you should toss a product, but I personally ignore those suggestions unless the product changes in smell, texture, or function. In the name of science (ish), let's take a look at some of my super duper old cream products:

Inglot gel eyeliner: Currently 2 years and 2 months after purchase. I saw no changes at all for a year and then product pulling away from the edges and hardening slightly after a year. By the second year anniversary, there was a huge crack down the center of each and the texture is a dense, dry putty instead of a smooth cream. Now, at 26 months, they are basically useless. If you were desperate, you could probably use Inglot duraline to limp along to the 2.5 year mark. Gel eyeliner shelf life is about 2 years.

Maybelline color tattoo cream eyeshadow: Currently about a year and a half after purchase. I like Maybelline color tattoos, but they aren't incredibly long lasting. I have owned several matte and several metallic shades, and the matte shades have a much drier, firmer texture initially and dry up faster. My metallic shades have all been fine for the first 6-9 months but show serious dryness at 9-12 months. Now, a year and a half in, the product has pulled away from the edges of the pot and the texture is incredibly dense and flaky. I can only use this by patting the product on the lid with my finger because it flakes/pills with swiping motions. It's basically dead. I recommend repurchasing annually or finding a formula with better longevity.

Anastasia dipbrow pomade: Currently 2 years and 2 months after purchase. I noticed product pulling away from the edges of the pot after about 6 months (!), serious dryness around 9 months, and then no changes at all in year 2. Oddly, I prefer the dry, stiffer texture because less pomade picks up on my brush. It still works okay for doing natural brows, but its days as a gel eyeliner or serious instagram brow pomade are OVER. Weirdly, I'm loving it more as it dries out. If you love the texture of the brand new product, you will start getting crabby 6 months from purchase.