Epic Battle of the Mists - MAC vs. MUFE - Who won?

Makeup fixers and primers used to be "extras" that only professional make-up artists kept in their beauty kits. These complimentary products enhanced and perfected makeup application, gave quick results, high performance and were extremely easy to use. Us, regular girls felt like we didn't exactly need them and in fact it is only recently that good, quality formulas became available to the general public. Today there are so many different brands, both high end and drugstore, that offer various formulations for almost every skin type out there. I hesitate to say that they are absolutely a necessity for a good makeup application but I will say that if used correctly these little gems can definitively make things easier for you.


Both MUFE Mist and Fix ($34.00 for 4.22 fl.oz.) and MAC Fix + ($25.00 for 3.4 fl.oz.) have received a lot of raves from the blogosphere and since they are in fact very similar products I decided to try a little comparison experiment. Each of these brands have a huge following and consistently put out excellent products with high quality formulas but I think its safe to say that every once in a while there is a "dud" in the mix.
I am sad to say that despite its cult status and good effort, MAC Fix + was a complete "dud" for me and my ridiculously reactive skin.

MAC Fix + Description;

An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up

Ingredients;

Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, cucumber fruit extract, chamomilla, camellia leaf extract, tocophryl acetate, caffeine, panthenol, hydrogenated castor oil, fragrance

MUFE Mist and Fix Description;
This light and comfortable mist seals the make up and keeps it in place by coating the skin with a weightless and invisible film. The mist provides a continuous protection for the make up and skin against external attacks (pollution, temperature variations...) by creating a colorless and imperceptible shield made from active hydrating ingredients.
For movies and photo shoots, professional make up artists use the Mist & Fix to set the make up, hence sparing them the task of renewed powder applications. It also creates visible depth for close-up shots.

Ingredients;

Aqua (Water) Methyl Propanediol, AMP-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Methylparaben, Chlorphenesin, Parfum (Fragrance), Chitosan Succinamide, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Geraniol Butylphenyl Methylpropional.

I had such high hopes for the MAC Fix + when I first purchased it, especially since there are so many bloggers that swear by this and seem to be going on an ongoing "Other way to use your MAC Fix +" advertising campaign. 

It really didn't matter how I used this, my skin hated it from the get go and I even think this was the culprit behind a huge chin break out a few weeks ago. 

This is meant to be used as a refresher, makeup setter, toner substitute, hydration treatment and it is suppose to act as a finisher that provides a dewy glowy finish. None of those methods were successful for me and in fact I felt as if my skin felt even more dehydrated after using this even though the "fine mist" never really dried on top of my foundation. After trying to make this work several times, getting as creative as possible I finally had to admit that even though this seemingly works on everyone else, it is just a complete "dud" for me.

MUFE Mist & Fix  experience was and continues to be a completely different story! After the MAC fiasco I was expecting the worst but I could not have been more wrong about this inconspicuous MUFE Professional product. Everything promised and more was delivered with ease and the finesse I have come to expect from the MUFE brand. 

The alcohol formula feels refreshing, soothing, hydrating and surprisingly light on my face. The bottle design includes a great pump that delivers a uniform, fine spray that literally feels like a revitalizing mist on your face. I would say this is a very important attribute of all similarly purposed products since its essential that the spray is misty in order not to completely disturb the makeup you just painstakingly applied. The MUFE Mist & Fix passes that test with flying colors every time.    

I think at this point its very easy for you to see that the MUFE definitively wins this battle and that MAC fades in the background by all accounts. 

You really can't argue with such obvious results!

Have you tried either one of these mists? Do you have another favorite?

XOXO

ANJA

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Make Up For Ever Full Cover Waterproof Concealer

I am always looking for a good under eye concealer and in my quest I have tried and tested a significant number of them. I have very significant dark circles, probably brought on by a combination of genetics, late nights and just general neglect.
I have tried all kinds of remedies but not even copious amounts of the most expensive eye cream have ever made enough of a difference for me to be satisfied. 

When I realized that my chances of solving the problem with eye cream were slim to none, I turned to the next best thing which of course is cover up! 

The land of concealer, however turned out to be even more confusing than choosing the right caffeine laced eye cream. I had to find the perfect formula that provides coverage, hydration, longevity, smoothness and creaseless ability.

Many were called but only a few survived my cutthroat policies. 

Make Up For Ever and Sephora describe my concealer of choice as;
What it is:
An ultra long-lasting, matte finish, oil-free, waterproof, full coverage concealer.
What it is formulated to do:
Designed to cover major imperfections like scars, hyper-pigmentation  major discoloration, burns, and tattoos. This light and creamy concealer contains a high concentration of pigments that stay put, making it perfect for use on the face, as well as the body.

Make Up For Ever Full Cover Waterproof Concealer turned out to be one of the front runners. Combination of this little miracle with the YSL Touché Éclat results in me looking a little less Transylvanian, if you know what I mean. 

The formula itself is very thick, extremely full coverage and longer lasting than any other makeup product I have ever owned. It has all the earmarks of a dry, caky feel but in reality it's actually very creamy and easy to work with. 

A little tiny drop of this stuff goes an really long way but the only thing to note is that it also dries/sets very quickly. Once it's set, with or without powder, this thing will not budge until you remove it, which is surprisingly easy with standard makeup remover.

Choosing the correct shade can be quite tricky so I would recommend in person swatching to make sure you are getting the correct number for your skin tone. The descriptions below can be helpful but seeing the colors in person would obviously be more accurate, especially for something so unique to your own complexion.  

On its own, Make Up For Ever Full Cover Waterproof Concealer is more than capable of covering up the heaviest of late nights with only a small amount required to not only correct but also brighten the under eye area. That's a bonus I can really appreciate. 

If you plan on using this concealer, you must remember to moisturize the eye area since the color pigments can sometimes cling to the dry patches and interfere with its creaseless ability. I find that if I skimp on eye cream for a few days this concealer is a little harder to smooth on and blend in. 

The Full Cover concealer performs equally well on the rest of the face, covering up blemishes, broken capillaries and redness with ease and expert finesse. It really is a superstar of my daily makeup routine. 

The size is 0.5 fl.oz. and since I know how little I really need to get it to work, I feel that the price of $37.00 is more than fair. Honestly I can't imagine using up my #6 Ivory tube for years to come so for me this was a great investment. 

You can get more information and purchase this on the Make Up For Ever site or as usual at our trusty Sephora 

I hope someone finds this useful! What is your favorite concealer?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

The Hero Club of the Month - June

I am sure most of you are familiar with the staple "Monthly Favorites" post, which shows up on almost every beauty blog out there (at some point anyways!)

Well as usual I am "late to the party" but never one to be left behind, I decided to unveil my own line-up of HERO products and things that really made a difference in my girly struggles this month anyway!

Since my skin has been going through some kind of freak-out stage this month, I was forced to break out some heavier-duty foundations to cover it all up. I rediscovered an old favorite, MAKE UP FOREVER Mat  Velvet + Matifying Foundation, which preformed amazingly and actually made me wonder why it was forgotten in the first place. I love the fact that it provides medium to full coverage, remains undetectable, lasts a good 8 hours or more and leaves a "real skin" finish. It covered all redness, blotchiness and breakouts but didn't melt in the humidity either.  Perfection in a bottle and one that will not be put back in the vanity drawer.

You can purchase it here

With finals, classes, all-nighters and feeble attempts to figure out Calculus, this month has been very rushed and I've had to make every minute count in order to balance everything out. Unfortunately that meant that makeup-play was very limited and I've had to stick to a fairly simple, low maintenance look every day. This is where a forgotten Benefit Velvet Eye shadow came in - "Fawn Over Me" is a perfect neutral color that manages to define my eyes without being boring and best of all it takes mere minutes to perfect. 

For your very own click here 

Whether you are up all night partying or studying or panicking, the result is always the same - lack-luster, dull, sallow and just plain drab complexion. The cure or remedy would of course be a good night sleep and vitamin spiked smoothie but when that cant be scheduled i rely on the beautifully scented By Terry Or De Rose Elixir Extreme to bring me back to life. The price tag is a tad ridiculous ($170) but I cant deny the fact that it does work beautifully and smells like a true summer rose garden. I use a few drops to mix in my foundation, layer it on as a primer or on the days i am really rushed I just wear it by itself. It definitively gives a true illusion of health and radiance without being all obvious about it. 

In an attempt to calm and heal my skin I dug deep into my stash for some skin pampering and discovered a mask I purchased around Christmas that lay forgotten and lonely. Since my complexion is suffering from the whole trinity - redness, reactivity and irritation, Origins Dr. Weils Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Mask seemed like a perfect fit. I was impressed after just one use! My skin felt soothed, hydrated, cooled and in general a lot more comfortable. The results in the mirror were just as promising too - the redness was almost completely gone after 10 minutes. The instructions say to leave on for 10 minutes and then tissue off, however i like rinsing it off just to make sure its removed completely. Its a little pricy ($45 here) but it made such a difference for me that i don't even care about that aspect.   

Have you tried any of these? What are your HERO products this month?

XOXO


ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

My Summer Beauty Heroes

My Summer Beauty Heroes with Antipodes, Omorovicza, Make Up Forever

I wanted to share my very own "Summer Beauty Essentials" post. These are products that I have been using almost daily and are the things I would gladly recommend to anyone.
They all have some hero qualities and help me in my endless quest of pursuing my girliness to the highest degree. I tried to cover each category, face, body, hair with little bits of color thrown in.
I hope you enjoy my little collection - please let me know if you want to see a review of any product in particular.

I would love to hear about your summer essentials as well!

XOXO

Anja