The Five Product Face

Lately I've been having those mornings where my alarm doesn't off or I'm exhausted from studying too late, so I can't be bothered with colourful eye looks or complicated makeup before heading to class. Solution? Coming up with a foolproof, simple routine that makes you look fresh and awake without taking up all of your time. I'm well aware that there are 6 products in the picture which defeats the purpose of the "five product face" but I'll explain in just a sec.

After cleansing and moisturizing, my next step is applying a tinted moisturizer. Surprise, surprise - it's Jouer Matte Moisture Tint in Nude! This is perfect product in the morning to give my skin a nice base and is easy to apply which makes the beautifying process much easier on me when I'm barely even alive yet. I follow up with my favourite concealer of the moment - NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer under the eyes and over any blemishes. This stuff is magical, nuff said. The wand applicator is perfect for quick application and the formula blends in seamlessly. This product is great for those who want radiance but like the added benefit of having a more matte complexion. That's it for the base! Now let's add some life back into the face. When I don't know what blush to wear I will almost instantly reach for MAC's blush in Melba. I think this shade would look flattering on a wide range of skin tones and the matte finish lends to the ability of this blush to make your face look more defined. For eyes I usually keep my look streamlined and simple with a coat (or two) of black mascara. I've been trying out the Benefit They're Real! mascara since I got it in the Sephora birthday gift this year and I really like it. It defines the lashes and prevents them from getting clumpy which I cannot stand! I'll probably be buying a full size of this in the near future. Alright, here's the twist. If you have a few seconds to spare, spice up your look with a cream eyeshadow pot! Easy application with maximum impact. My favourite for fall has to be the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. I take this on the finger and smudge it onto my eyelid and extend the colour into my crease to add some depth. It's amazing how applying it this way gives the effect of an eye look that may have taken you more than the 20 seconds it actually did. Perfect for that smudgy, just rolled outta bed, but still look fabulous look. Last but certainly not least, a swipe of a glossy hue on the lips is all you need to finish off this effortless look. Another shocker here, I tend to gravitate towards my Clarins Natural Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer because it has a bit more colour and pairs well with the blush.

That's it folks. An easy look to get you through that door looking fresh and radiant! Depending on the season you can always switch out the products to cater to your needs. Lately, if I want a look with a bit more impact, I've switched out the blush for some bronzer and rotated in a deep burgundy shade on the lips (Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 107). Knowing that you have a go-to look that only takes 5 products is always great to have up your sleeve for when you're in a rush or want to avoid wearing too much makeup.

Hope you're having a great weekend! xo

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint

Sorry for the double review but I'm too excited about this product! Last week a little package arrived on my doorstep and to my surprise, my Cult Beauty order had finally made its way across the pond. I've been eyeing this product for quite some time now and was going back and forth in my head on whether or not to purchase it. Face products are a bit risky for me because I have quite oily skin, but during this time of year I get the odd dry patch here and there so I need something that will hold up on my face but not accentuate any nasty bits. Once again, I was persuaded by Vivianna Does Makeup (is that any surprise?) and MissGlamorazzi, so I took the plunge and gave the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint a try. 

Let me just start off by saying I now understand what the fuss was about. The formula is really interesting - it feels smooth when applied to the skin and almost has a mousse-y texture to it. It blends seamlessly into the skin and doesn't leave you feeling like you splattered your face with mud. For a "moisture tint", I'd say it gives more coverage than your average tinted moisturizer. In my opinion, it's almost like a light, to even medium, coverage foundation but without the heaviness that you get with some of the top sellers out there. With a thin layer, it leaves your skin evened out and covers up minor areas of pigmentation and redness. With a little more applied, you can get some really good coverage without looking like a cake face, no one wants to look like that! The staying power was surprisingly great for a tinted moisturizer and the incredible matte (but not too matte) effect it gives lasted me a good 5 or so hours without blotting. A little while later I did need to blot but that was without having powder applied in the first place, which on my skin is miraculous! I would say it definitely delivers on the mattifying front as it isn't dewy or glowy, but the effect it gives isn't powdery if you know what I mean. You don't look like an oil slick but your skin looks like skin -- what could be better?

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint in Nude

The only negative thing I will say about it is that the colour isn't spot on for me at the moment but I did order this online and was already fearful of getting a colour that would be too light or dark on me. The shade Nude is a tiny bit too light for me right now but hopefully as I get paler during the winter it'll sort itself out. For the time being, I've been lightly dusting some bronzer all over my skin to bring back a little warmth and the colour looks great! As for the application, I feel like using your hands alone (unless you have super flawless, smooth skin) isn't the absolute best since it can sometimes cling to little dry patches but this is something that happens often with matte face products. I've found that using a buffing brush at first to even it out, and then just pat my face a little with my fingers gives a barely there effect (Thanks for the tip Anna!).

Overall, I'm loving this product because it keeps my skin matte for longer than anything else I've used with a texture that is silky and breathable. Jouer has won some major brownie points with this one and I'm excited to see how their other products are like, especially the cheek and lip tint I've been eyeing up.  As for Cult Beauty, their service was great and SUPER quick! I got my package in less than a week, which for an international order is pretty impressive! I'd definitely watch out for special offers like free international shipping because it definitely makes the price a bit more bearable. This moisture tint retails for about $42 CAD on the Cult Beauty website and that seems fair since you are getting 50 mL of product; a whole 20 mL more than your average foundation! I'd definitely give this product a try if you are looking for a matte tinted moisturizer that holds up well on your skin throughout the day!