Showing posts with label foundation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label foundation. Show all posts

Monday, 11 March 2013

Revlon Nearly Naked: Foundation Review


Revlon have brought out a brand new foundation range, 'Nearly Naked', £8.99 for the liquid foundation with SPF20, and despite its absolutely hideous (okay, slightly clunky, pardon my incessant need to exaggerate) packaging, the beautiful finish of this High Street foundation is actually very impressive. 

But first, let me get this moanathon out of the way. Mr Revlon big boss man, why would you put such a great foundation in such a un-user friendly bottle? I do not want to have to pour my foundation onto my palm. No, I do not. Undoubtedly my pristine black blouse will look mauled by the sand monster in approximately five seconds. Nor do I want to cart around a heavy glass bottle with a cheap-looking white lid. Phew.


But me and this foundation have found a way to work through our early relationship troubles (I've armed my dresser with a pack of baby wipes) and as you can see in the picture above, the result is light, even and flawless. You really have to buff the foundation into the skin (circular motions with a foundation brush, as if working in a moisturiser) and my skin was fresh and soft after application, with a slightly dewy finish. It softens uneven skin tones, minimising ruddy cheeks or shadows, but does not look too opaque or plastic. A great foundation for the daytime, definitely one of the best I've tried out this year. Now if only I could have a word with the packaging designers...

Top Tip: For an extra flawless finish, sweep a layer of mineral powder foundation over the liquid foundation once it has settled on the face. It makes all the difference! I used Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder, £7.99 (also a fantastic product but with slightly ghastly packaging...not taking any prisoners on the aesthetics here am I?!)

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Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Foundation Faves: From Day to Night (and my High Street Steal!)

I always get asked about my favourite foundations, so I thought I'd put together this little blog to, ahem, cover all bases...

Daytime Delight: Hello Flawless by Benefit

For a gorgeous daytime foundation, I use the Benefit Hello Flawless range because it is so light yet adds a beautiful warmth to the face. It feels super soft on the skin and smells divine...heavenly!
I like to sweep over a layer of the Hello Flawless Powder Cover-Up in a matching shade for an extra boost of cover which lasts all day, without that nasty cloggy feeling. 


Apologies for the stern face in my swatch picture above (it would appear someone forgot to put sugar on my weetabix that morning!) but as you can see, the Hello Flawless foundation is subtle but effective... perfect for daytime coverage.

Nighttime Full Coverage: MAC Studio Sculpt 
I use MAC Studio Sculpt for a trustworthy coverage on those big nights out. It has a really thick liquid consistency, a gel based foundation which is fantastic for dry skin. I find the Studio Sculpt is best applied with a foundation brush, and a little goes a LONG way. 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 this foundation for a couple of minutes before applying powder to the skin surface, as it does set. I always use a mineral-based translucent powder (such as Rimmel Stay Matte in Transparent, £3.99) over the Studio Sculpt for an utterly flawless finish, quashing any unwanted shine in the process.

The High Street Steal: Rimmel Match Perfection

For a lower priced foundation, my tried and tested favourite is the Match Perfection Range by Rimmel. It might not feel as super soft as the Hello Flawless range by Benefit, and it might not be as super flawless as the MAC Studio Sculpt, but for only £6.99 I was seriously impressed. The SPF18 foundation blends really well, with no streaks or patchiness. It's great that more and more high street foundations are combining coverage with sun protection too! As with all liquid foundations, I like to set with a loose powder. The Match Perfection Silky Loose Powder, £6.99, works well and leaves a lovely soft finish, but I couldn't see much difference between that and the Rimmel Stay Matte in Transparent, £3.99, which is a few pounds cheaper.


I love the fact that Rimmel have developed a whole range of complimenting products to suit everyones coverage needs. The matching concealer is a brilliant high street alternative to YSL Touche Eclat (priced at a staggering £25) and works brilliantly on those troublesome areas, without standing out like a sore thumb. The concealer is bright and illuminating, lifting the dark under-eye area without dodgy creases. 
Again, apologies for the slight scowl below (I really must work on my snaps!) but as you can see, my coverage looks nice and natural with a light glow. A great high street buy for those with normal to dry complexions.


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Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Face Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte or bareMinerals Mineral Veil?

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.

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Monday, 3 December 2012

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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#TodayImWearing...


Skin Prep
Rituals Active Moisture Lotion, £22.50, available from FeelUnique.com
Make-Up: Base
Benefit Erase Paste, £19.50, available from FeelUnique.com
MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation SPF15, £24, available from MAC Cosmetics UK
Make-Up: Cheeks
Benefit Hervana Good Karma Face Powder, £23.50, available from FeelUnique.com
Benefit High Beam Luminescent Complexion Enhancer, £18.50, available from FeelUnique.com
Make-Up: Eyes and Brows
HD Brows Palette in Bombshell, £19.95, available from HD Brows stockists
Benefit They're Real Mascara, £18.50, available from FeelUnique.com
Rimmel London Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Eyeliner, £5.29, available from FeelUnique.com 
Make-Up: Lips
Chanel Rouge Allure in Fantasque (112), available in January 2013 (Chanel Spring Collection)

 Find out all the latest beauty news by subscribing to the Pout Out Proud blog, and following @PoutOutProud on Twitter!