Face Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte or bareMinerals Mineral Veil?

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder, £3.99, available from Boots and bareMinerals Mineral Veil, £17.00, available from FeelUnique.com

For a really flawless finish, I always use a translucent powder over liquid/gel foundations. It rids any lurking shine from across the t-zone, minimises pores, and generally creates a wonderful vision of smooth, perfect skin.

In my make-up bag, I have Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in 'Transparent' and bareMinerals Mineral Veil in 'Original', which is a loose powder. There's a £15 difference, and to be honest, I'm struggling to see why.

bareMinerals Mineral Veil claims to 'minimise lines, absorb oils, and soften your complexion', a 'bare veil of minerals that lock makeup in place and give your skin airbrushed perfection'. And in fairness, it really does all these fabulous things.

But then so does the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder. It may have quite a lot more ingredients (purists might prefer the bareMinerals range full stop) but the end, flawless, result is very much similar. To demonstrate, I made half my face up with the Rimmel Stay Matte, half with bareMinerals Mineral Veil...

Barely any difference at all!

How to apply a translucent powder: Allow your foundation to set. Using of large, soft, brush, swirl into the powder. Tap off any excess (so that barely any can be seen on the brush). Buff the powder into your skin in circular motions.
  
Top Tip: For oily skin, or to soak up a heavy moisturiser, buff a translucent powder into your skin before applying your regular foundation.

Related Posts:

• Coming soon: My favourite foundations, from day to night! 
• Bye Bye Blemish: Benefit Erase Paste Review
• MAC Studio Sculpt SPF15 Foundation Review

Bye Bye Blemish: Benefit Erase Paste Brightening Concealer

Benefit Erase Paste Brightening Concealer, £17.55 (usually £19.50) available from Debenhams

Christmas parties, mulled wine, late night shopping... I, for one, LOVE the fabulous festivities. However, upon examining my face in that oh-so-telling bathroom mirror (you know the one I'm talking about, the one that you avoid at all costs when you have a horrendous hangover) I've come to realise that all this festive cheer has left me looking, well, a touch haggard. Dark circles have set up shop for the long haul, alongside little bags and tired eyes.

There is a saviour out there, ladies and gentlemen! Banish those imperfections with Benefit Erase Paste Brightening Concealer. It eradicates those pesky booze-induced blemishes in an instant, keeps unsightly dark shadows at bay, and generally helps to create the illusion of constant perfection. Hurrahs! Mulled wine for everybody!

This little pot may be a bit of a splurge, but a little goes a long way. The paste is really concentrated and quite thick, so it stays put all day long. Use a concealer brush to apply before foundation.

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Get Flawless: MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation SPF15

I've made that ever-so dangerous move. I visited the MAC counter in Selfridges and asked for their recommendations. And now I want EVERYTHING. I'm not entirely sure just how this happens, but when you sit in that mildly uncomfortable chair, close your eyes and allow the MAC make-up artist work their wonderful magic, you may as well give them all of your savings, right there and then. 

'But it really is worth it', you will utter as you hand over your weekly food allowance in lieu of some Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (which is, coincidentally, one of the best products for enhancing facial contours whilst still looking natural)

So yes, I made the leap. And yes, I am now a MAC foundation convert. I purchased the Studio Sculpt SPF 15, £24, available from MAC cosmetics, as I wanted a medium coverage which still has a luminous, glowy appearance as opposed to matte.

Studio Sculpt has a really thick liquid consistency, it's a gel based foundation which is fantastic for dry skin, which is best applied with a foundation brush. It's also buildable, so you can layer the application to create a high coverage. Here's a before and after picture, featuring my dear friend Anna...

I would recommend leaving the foundation for a couple of minutes before applying any powder to the skin surface, as it does set after you apply it. I'd recommend buying the complimenting Mineralise Skinfinish Natural powder, £21, to apply over the Studio Sculpt for an utterly flawless finish.

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