Battle of the Blurs

Garnier Perfect Blur vs. L'oreal Miracle Blur

Blur creams are the latest beauty trend taking over the shelves. From high end to drugstore, every other brand seems to have a blurring product out there.

So what are they? They are beauty products that use new optical/light technology to 'blur' your skin and improve the appearance of pores, wrinkles and really any other imperfections you may have. Not all of them call themselves primers, but that's what they essentially are - new and improved, next generation primers.

Two extremely popular offerings that have recently hit Australian drugstore are the Garnier 5 Sec Perfect Blur and L'oreal Revitalift Magic Blur. These are sold everywhere, from local pharmacies to supermarkets, but they are so popular that they are often sold out. The natural question that follows then is, are they worth they hype? And if so, which brand is better?

I've previously done a brief review on the Miracle Blur and I think it's pretty obvious that I'm a fan of blur creams. But with this post now, I thought I'd see how the Perfect Blur stacks up against the Miracle Blur. I'll be considering three elements - price, packaging and the product performance. 

Round One - Price:

Here is a price breakdown based on the Australian standard retail price.

• Garnier Perfect Blur contains 22ml and retails for $16.99 (i.e. $0.77 per ml)
• L'oreal Magic Blur contains 30ml and retails for $24.99 (i.e. $0.83 per ml)

As you can see, Garnier's Perfect Blur is better priced on a per ml basis and offers better overall value

Winner: Garnier Perfect Blur

Round Two - Packaging:

For me, there are two things to consider when looking at a product's packaging - its aesthetics and its practicality.

Overall, I found the Perfect Blur to be more aesthetically pleasing. It looks bright and fresh and very much in line with what the Garnier brand often tries to represent. I cannot say that this is how my ideal blur primer would look like, but I definitely prefer it over the Magic Blur.

I have two issues with the Magic Blur. Firstly, while the matte tube seems fitting considering the 'blur' factor, there's just too much blank, red space on the front and the matte finish just makes it look dull and cheap. Secondly, the shape of the tube reminds me of the competition. Garnier already has two popular products (Pure A moisturiser and Oil Free BB Cream) that come in an identical tube and every time I see the Magic Blur, I just think Garnier!

I also found the Perfect Blur to be more practical and easy to use. The Magic Blur tube is simply too big. Even though it contains more product, it definitely doesn't warrant a tube this size. Not only does it mislead the consumer about how much product they get, it's also frustrating because the half empty tube makes it hard to squeeze out the product. It feels empty quickly and then you are forced to use both hands to get the product out. 

The Perfect Blur comes in a much more compact, convenient and travel friendly size. And it doesn't mislead the consumer about the amount of product they get!

Winner: Garnier Perfect Blur

Round Three: Product Performance

So first and foremost, do the products do as they claim? 

That's a resounding yes for both products. When applied, they both make a noticeable difference and imperfections definitely look blurred. 

Hopefully the photos below give you a better idea of how the products look by themselves and when applied. They both have a similar consistency and appearance but the Magic Blur feels a bit denser between your fingers. 

L-R: Magic Blur; Perfect Blur

L-R: Magic Blur; Perfect Blur (blended)

Now which product performs better?

To really get an idea of how the two blur creams compare, I went for a few days with Perfect Blur on one side of my face and Magic Blur on the other. I even alternated the sides that they were on so the results were more fair. 

After about a week, I noticed that Garnier's Perfect Blur consistently performed better. It gave a much better overall appearance and controlled oil more effectively.

If you look at the photo below, the Perfect Blur on the right has a slightly more pink tinge and when applied on the skin, it seems to do a bit of colour correction. My complexion always looked brighter and better on the Perfect Blur side. 

L-R: Magic Blur; Perfect Blur

Garnier's Perfect Blur was also much better at controlling oil throughout the day. I have quite oily skin and even after 5 hours of wear, the Garnier side only ever had a small 5 cent sized oily patch next to my nose. My make-up lasted better and I really enjoyed not having to blot/touch up my make-up. 

In contrast, the Magic Blur left both my cheeks and forehead very oily after the same amount time. However, it must be noted that the L'oreal website never actually calls it a primer and just tells you to apply after moisturiser. This suggests that it's one of those blur creams that require you to follow up with a primer. When I tried that, I got much better results. But at the end of the day, I want to be able to use my blur cream as a primer as well. The mornings are busy enough and I don't see the point of having blur cream as a separate step when there are products that do both at once!

Winner: Garnier Perfect Blur

Final Thoughts

I know this sounds like I dislike L'oreal's Magic Blur but I don't. After reading/watching reviews online, I actually preferred it and didn't by the Perfect Blur because I was waiting for the arrival of the Magic Blur. And when I finally got it, I really enjoyed it! I liked how it made my skin look and the lack of oil control on its own wasn't an issue because the need to blot/touch-up my make-up wasn't anything new. But my good experience with Magic Blur made me curious about Perfect Blur and the rest was history.

Garnier's Perfect Blur blows L'oreal's Magic Blur right out of the water and it's definitely the one I will be repurchasing!


OVERALL WINNER: Garnier 5 Sec Perfect Blur

xoxo
See you next time my lovelies!

March Favourites

The products I've been reaching this month reflect how I'm still not ready to accept that Autumn is upon us. I'm still desperately trying to cling on to the remnants of the summer so my go-to look has mainly involved a bronzy glow with statement coral lips. Here are seven of my most used products in March. 

1. Models Prefer Infinite Colour Eye Pencil in Midnight Gaze (1.2g, $8.99)

These Infinite Colour pencils are amazing. They come in 12 shades, glide on smoothly, have great colour payoff, are waterproof and don't smudge or budge. Midnight Gaze is a brownish black eyeliner with tiny speck of gold running through it. This shade went perfectly with the soft, warm eye look I'd been going for.

2. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze (0.4oz/10.3g, $72.00)

This ended up in heavy rotation because of just how effortlessly it created a bronze glow. I'm naturally quite tanned so I only want a hint of colour from my bronzer and this fits the bill. However, like the name suggests, it's quite shimmery so I tend to use this more at night. This is a beautiful bronzer and highlighter. 

3. Essence Sun Club Shimmering Bronzing Powder in 20 suntanned (9g, $5.35)

This smells like coconut and I love it! Once again, I like how it's not a super pigmented bronzer so any colour it adds is very subtle. This shade looks natural against my skin and not orange or dirty. This product also contains shimmer but it's far more subtle and wont give you a disco ball look.  It's great for daytime wear. 

Here's a swatch of all the products so far. The image on the left is with flash, while the right is without flash.

L-R: Midnight Gaze, Midnight Gaze built up, Bronze Shimmer Brick, 20 Suntanned

4. L'oreal Revitalift Magic Blur (30ml, $24.99)

I've been a bit lax with my skincare lately so a few tiny bumps have appeared. While it doesn't do much for oil control, the pinkish white cast from this product really helps hide/blur imperfections.

5. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 025 Sweetheart Valentine (2.7g, $17.95)

Like I said earlier, I've been going through a coral phase but unfortunately the shades that I like aren't the most flattering on my lips. They are usually too light and don't do a good job hiding fine lines. Since I can't help what I love, this stain has been my solution. I use this to stain my lips first before applying a coral lippie over it. This helps by filling in lines, and injecting more pink and warmth so the coral shades are more wearable. It lasts pretty much all day so I only have to touch up the coral lipstick on top.

6. Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in 420 Coral Pop (4.2g, $16.95)

Out of all my coral shades, this was the one I reached for the most. Without Sweetheart Valentine underneath, this shade is too pale and bright on me and really emphasises my fine lines. However, with the stain, I get a gorgeous pinky coral that pops against my bronzed eyes and cheeks. 

Here's a swatch of the lippies and how they look layered. Once again, the left is with flash while right is without flash.

L-R: Sweetheart Valentine, Coral Pop, Coral Pop layered over Sweetheart Valentine

7. Dessert Essence 100% Organic Jojoba Oil

I only got this halfway through March but I really like it already. I use this to remove my waterproof mascara and it's been super effective. Even the most stubborn waterproof formula just glides off. I've also started to notice that my lashes look lusher!

xoxo
And that's all my favourites for March! Here's to a fantastic April!

My Go-to Face Base

So for my very first post I thought it’d be fitting to start with the basics and talk about my current face base. It wasn’t intentional but I seem to be going through a bit of a L’oreal phase!

After moisturising (plus sunscreen!) I apply L’oreal’s Revitalift Magic Blur Instant Skin Smoother with my fingers and follow up with L’oreal’s True Match liquid foundation using the Real Techniques buffing brush.

The results? Nice natural finish but with my oily skin I do have to set with powder and I’ll still have to touch up after 5/6 hours. 

Revitalift Magic Blur Instant Skin Smoother ($24.99 – currently 30% off at Priceline)

I believe this is known as Miracle Blur in the US but regardless of what it's called, it does what it says. It leaves a pinkish white cast that slightly blurs your skin’s surface. It also leaves matte finish but it doesn't really control oil or prolong the wear of your make-up. I use this when I get the odd blemish and the weather’s cooler or I know I’ll be indoors.

True Match Liquid Foundation ($29.95)

Shade W4 Golden Natural (adjusted with turmeric)

It’s my ideal, everyday foundation for two main reasons, a little goes a long way and it’s easy to blend. 

Unfortunately, I did find the shade selection a bit off. I use W4 Golden Natural and it’s the right yellow undertone but the shade is actually too light. However when I tried the shade up (W5 Golden Sand) the undertone was too pink! I ended up adding some turmeric to my bottle which intensified the yellow. It definitely makes the shade difference a little less noticeable, especially after I add bronzer.

Coverage: Good. Medium, but buildable to full. Very easy to blend.

Lasting power: Good. Sets fairly quickly and leaves only slight transfer. However it doesn’t control oil so setting powder/spray is a must for those with oily skin.

Shade selection: Average. Good shade range since there's 9 available in Australia but organisation of the shades is a bit iffy.

Packaging: Excellent! Pretty and sleek. Solid glass bottle with a pump.

Final thoughts: Definitely a foundation I’d recommend. Just be careful with shade selection! 8.5/10

Real Techniques Buffing Brush ($44.99)

Real Techniques Your Base/Flawless Core Collection (L-R: Contour brush, pointed foundation brush, detailer brush, buffing brush)

This comes part of the Core Collection and I think it’s perfect for liquid foundation. It’s dense enough that it doesn't eat up product and it also doesn't leave streaks. Really does all the hard work and makes buffing in foundation a breeze. It’s been through several washes and still hasn't shed or lost its shape.  

The set costs $44.99 at Priceline which I think is rather ridiculous. I'd recommend buying it online from iherb.com where it costs US $18.00. Even factoring in the exchange rate and shipping cost (starts from $4), it's still much cheaper! 

Coupon Code:

For first time users if you apply code JVR643 at checkout and spend $40 or more, you'll get $10 off (you get $5 off if you spend less than $40). And after your first purchase, you'll get your own code to share with others! 

Also, I believe if you spend over $60 you also get a further 5% off!

xoxo
And that's it from me! Hope this was helpful for someone!