theBalm Sexy Mama Anti-Shine Translucent Powder

A small briefing before I dig into this review: my skin usually falls into the combo type – oily T-zone and dry-ish cheeks. However, I've noticed a trend that every single winter for the last three years, my skin becomes heavily dehydrated, bordering dry but that doesn't stop clogging. I think it's unfortunate to have clogged pores, occasional blemishes all whilst your skin's pretty much dry like a sanding paper. 

Despite having a T-zone (not too prominent though), I'm usually not a big fan of face powders – I really dislike the cake-yness, how visible it looks on my skin, the way it accentuates dry and flaky bits etc. I do like my Bourjois Healthy Balance Compact Powder (review here) which doesn't deposit too much color, looks pretty much invisible on the skin yet it matifies it in a very natural way. I am also very satisfied with my Bourjois Silk Edition Compact Powder (review here) which is a bit more intense and is more pigmented. After I've purchased a few Bourjois liquid foundations (Bourjois fan girl over here!) – their CC cream (review here) and their Air Mat foundation (review here) – I've noticed that I'd have a use out of a translucent matifiying powder which, preferably, won't dry out my face. 

As much as I love Bourjois as a brand – I love theBalm with the same passion. I'm in love with their Nude'tude eyeshadow palette (review here), their Mary Lou Manizer luminizer (review here) and their Bahama Mama bronzer (review here). I think their makeup is simple yet always effective and although not cheap, it's definitely not overpriced either – that's why I've turned to them in my pursuit of the ideal setting/matifying powder.

• Dati cu vam mini brifing prije nego se zadubim u ovu recenziju: moja koja je obicno mjesovita, sto znaci da je T-zona masnija a obrazi su isuseni. Posljednje tri godine sam pak primjetila tendenciju da mi koza tokom zime postaje izuzetno dehidrirana, gotovo pa suha ali sklonost zacepljenju pora time ne prestaje. Mislim da cemo se sloziti kako je nezgodno boriti se sa zacepljenim porama i bubuljicama dok je koza suha poput smirgl papira.
• Uprkos masnijoj T-zoni (koja ipak nije mnogo masna), nisam ljubiteljica pudera za lice – stvarno mi se ne svidja kako koza izgleda praskasto i bezivotno sa njima, takodjer isticu i suhe dijelove (perutava koza je tek horor!). 
• Oni kojima sam zadovoljna su Bourjois Healthy Balance kompaktni puder (recenziran ovdje) koji ne ostavlja mnogo boje, djeluje gotovo pa nevidljivo na kozi a matira je na prirodan nacin. Takodjer sam jako zadovoljna i sa Bourjois Silk Edition kompaktni puder (recenziran ovdje) cije je djelovanje nesto intenzivnije i vise je pigmentiran. Nakon sto sam kupila par Bourjois tecnih podloga (ocigledno jako volim ovaj brend) – – njihovu CC kremu (recenziranu ovdje) i njihovu Air Mat tecnu podlogu (recenzirana ovdje) – pocela  sam razmisljati kako bi mi mozda najvise koristio transparentni puder koji ce matirati, a ne isusiti kozu lica.
• Koliko volim Bourjois kao brend – jednako sam sklona i theBalm kozmetici. Zaljubljena sam u njihovu Nude'tude paletu sjena za oci (recenzirana ovdje), njihov Mary Lou Manizer iluminator (recenziran ovdje) i njihov Bahama Mama bronzer (recenziran ovdje). Mislim da je njihova kozmetika jednostava ali uvijek radi svoj posao kako treba. I iako nije jeftina, svakako da nije ni precijenjena – upravo su ovo razlozi zbog kojih sam u njihovoj ponudi potrazila idealni puder za matiranje i fiksiranje.

As per usual, theBalm's makeup always features a very cute, sassy packaging – theBalm Sexy Mama Anti-Shine Translucent Powder (£15 via feelunique) has that same sassy packaging we all know and love. It's practical, light and sturdy and you get a decent mirror inside the lid. It isn't luxury but the product inside is the main attraction. It comes in just one shade, which is a light, slightly yellow toned powder. My skin is medium dark and it literally doesn't show up on me – there is no discernible color when I swatch it on my skin (hence why I have not included a classic swatch photo). There is a chance dark skin might get some residue but fair, light and medium skin – no worries, it really is translucent.

One thing you have to remember with this powder is –  this is a setting powder, not foundation. There's no need to cake it on, you just need a light dusting. I find it a bit chalky and powdery to the touch but brushes pick it up evenly and deposit it beautifully on my face. Fallout is minimal. It goes on last, after you are done with your base, or even after you have done your face. I find myself often applying my moisturizer, some concealer and just setting it all off with Sexy Mama – results are divine! Not only does it work on top of makeup (it also makes my foundation, blush, contour powder and higlighter last longer), it also works on top of just a moisturizer.

It does help to keep my skin shine free for most, if not all of the day. I will note that it doesn't make my skin look ghastly matte – it just keeps away that tell-tale oily shine off the skin. It's not mask-like, powdery, heavy or noticeable on the skin – it looks incredibly natural. It does work as a fantastic setting powder for under-eye concealers, makes pores look smaller and whilst it tames the oiliness – it doesn't make my skin look dull. It also never broke me out, woohoo! . I get approx 6h-8h of wear on any foundation I own (depending if it's a creamy or oil-free formula). It doesn't have any noticeable scent and it simply seems as an invisible friend who you can rely on without ever showing its presence. It's discreet and gets the job done.

• Kako smo navikli, theBalm ima dosta neobicno, pomalo drsko pakovanje ali na jedan simpatican nacin. theBalm Sexy Mama Anti-Shine transparentni puder (platila sam ga cca 40KM preko feelunique.com) prati imidz pakovanja ovog brenda. Samo kuciste je lagano, kompaktno ali i cvrsto. U unutarnjoj strani poklopca se nalazi pristojno ogledalo. Ne radi se o luksuznom komadu kozmetike ali ne zaboravite da je glavna atrakcija ustvari sam proizvod, ne pakovanje. 
• Puder je dostupan u samo jednoj nijansi – svjetlijoj beige/bez nijansi zutog podtona. Moja koza je srednje tamna i doslovno se stapa sa njom – kada napravim swatch, uopste se ne vidi (zbog toga odsustvo fotke klasicnog swatcha). Postoji mogucnost da na dosta tamnijoj kozi ovaj puder ostavlja svjetli trag no mislim da svjetlija i srednje svijetla koza nemaju razloga za brigu.
• Ono sto je bitno zapamtiti jeste – ovo je puder sa fiksiranje sminke a ne klasicni puder u smislu da ne pruza prekrivanje. Nema potrebe za vecom kolicinom pri nanosenju – dovoljno je i da ste ‘lagane ruke’. Sam puder je na dodir pomalo praskast ali ga kistovi lijepo pokupe i ravnomjerno nanose na kozu. Rasipanje pudera je minimalno. Nanosi se posljednji, nakon sto smo zavrsili sa bazom tj. sa kozom, na koji god nacin da je uredjujete. Cesto znam na lice nanijeti samo hidratantnu kremu i eventualno malo korektora, to fiksiram Sexy Mama puderom i rezultati su stvarno odlicni! Savrseno se ponasa preko sminke (produljuje trajnost tecnog pudera, rumenila, pudera za konturiranje, iluminatora itd.) ali se takodjer sjajno pokazao i samo preko hidratantne kreme.
• Uklanja visak sjaja sa koze tokom vecine, ako ne cijelog dana. Napomenuti cu da mi ne cini kozu ubitacno matiranom – jednostavno uklanja sve sto bi nazvale prekomjernom masnocom ali ne djeluje vjestacki na kozi. Ne ubija zdravi izgled koze iako vizuelno suzava pore – nije previse praskast niti tezak i djeluje dosta prirodno. Cak djeluje i kao odlican fiksator za korektor ispod ociju a nije mi ni zacepio pore – woohoo! Na svakoj tecnoj podlozi cu sa njim dobiti 6h-8h trajnosti (ovisno da li je tecna podloga tj. puder kremaste ili nemasne formulacije). Puder nema primjetan miris i uopsteno se ponasa poput nevidljivog prijatelja na kojeg se mozete oslonoti bez da ikada primjetite da je tu. Diskretan je i radi svoj posao kako treba.