Too Faced Born This Way Foundation Review

Looking for a new foundation can be difficult, do you agree?

Finding one that fits my criteria can be a chore. It has the right consistency, the right finish, is buildable, lasts at least 12 hours and has the perfect skin colour in the range. I like buying new foundations when they turn out right, but otherwise it feels like such a waste of money especially when you don't have it to waste.

Spending £20+ on something that turns out to be rubbish is not for me, but I couldn't resist trying Too Faced's Born This Way foundation. It has some great reviews and some friends recommended it too, so I thought it might be a good one to try next.

Smashbox Photo Finish Blemish Control Primer

Hey there!

It has been a little while since I've written a beauty post so it's been lovely and self indulgent to get back to my make up stash.

Today's review is of the Smashbox Photo Finish Blemish Control Primer.

I bought this months ago, me and M both went to a Smashbox event which was really good fun - we made a few purchases and I've been slowly using them over the last couple of months.

The Blemish Control primer was surprisingly lovely - I've tried a sample size of the original primer previously and it felt like it had a lot of silicone in it which my skin doesn't really like.

However this primer was totally different, it was a white thin product almost like a lotion in texture. It applied really easily and created an even base to put make up on which is perfect.

The primer soaked up the oil on my face and kept my oily t-zone at bay during the day. I can't comment on whether the primer helps to control blemishes - I luckily don't get many spots nowadays (apart from the ones that only medication would help!) but my skin definitely felt pretty good whilst i was using this primer.

I'd say that it barely felt like i had anything on my skin but my make up stayed for a working day whenever i wore it which was great, I think i just needed to re-powder once or twice but that's to be expected.

I think that i would probably repurchase this in future, the primer comes to £28 which is on the expensive side but there are often deals in Boots to get a free gift or extra points which make it worthwhile. I would definitely recommend it if you are struggling to keep your make up on during the day over troublesome skin.

Have you tried the primers from Smashbox? Which one was your fave?

I really want to try the illuminating and hydrating ones!

L xxx

Laura Mercier Hydrating Foundation Primer

Hey All

Laura Mercier is a brand we've both loved trying products are. L swears by Silk Creme (review here) and it's one of her top foundations and M loves the Mineral Powder foundation which is one of her favourites (review here).

We've also both tried  and loved the undercover pot! (review here) After loving so many face products from them we couldn't wait to try the hydrating primer. We'd heard lots of many positive reviews about the original one.

Both of us have combination skin which has a tendency to be dehydrated so a few years ago we wouldn't have considered trying a hydrating primer. Even though it's hydrating it's more of a gel formula so it doesn't feel heavy on the skin or leave the skin feeling greasy, it actually feels cool and refreshing. It also sinks into the skin quickly. It also contains vitamin A,C and E which help protect the skin from aging due to the environment.

It's made applying make up so much better and feels like another product we can't live without. It's not like other primers we've tried and it just gives the skin a smooth base and makes foundation sit better and apply easier.

It would be interesting to try the difference between the normal and hydrating one.

M xxx

This primer is so lightweight - it feels just like a gel or serum and sinks into the skin super fast and creates a base without feeling like there is a layer on the skin at all. This was super impressive.
When applying it, it feels like another step to your skincare routine rather than make up.

M would like to try the normal primer but I was lucky enough to get it in a beauty box a few months ago. I like them both and the main factor that I've noticed about the two is that the hydrating primer is just that, slightly lighter and more hydrating.
I'd probably lean towards the hydrating just to add in an extra hydration step for my skin as it really needs it, I actually can't apply any more hydration to my skin sometimes!

Have you tried the Laura Mercier Primers? Which do you prefer?
Do you have a favourite Laura Mercier product?

L xxx

Essie Manicure

Essie is without a doubt the number one nail polish brand for nudes; you only have to spend one second in front of a stand to know that with the copious display of bottles.

I've previously posted about a few polishes and compared the likes of Ballet Slippers, Fiji and Sand Tropez (you can read this here)

Almost all three of these bottle are now coming to an end so with the 3 for 2 offer on in Boots I restocked my base and top coats and snapped up a new nude to try: Mademoiselle.

I've never tried the First Base base coat from Essie so I was interested to see how the green/blue coloured polish would fare in comparison to others I've used that are cheaper.

It contains a rubber adhesive to help bond polish to the nail surfaces creating a smooth base for application, helps resist chipping and against stains created by some stronger colours.

I always try and use a base to help against staining, there's nothing worse than weirdly coloured nails that look unhealthy when actually it's just an orange toned red polish that is the culprit!

The base applied easily as expected with any Essie polish, the brush seems to fit my nail perfectly so I can just swipe it from base to tip and not manage to get too much all over my fingers.

It dried really fast and left a clear base with a good finish for colour application.

So Mademoiselle is a sheer light pink, its like the sheerness of Ballet Slippers with the colour of Fiji.

I wasn't sure what colour this was going to turn out as, I can never tell but I couldn't test on my own nails as I'd just done them in a dark red and the name sounded familiar. Next time I buy one I will have to investigate further! Not that this colour isn't lovely but I have something similar already and would probably prefer something that doesn't require 4 coats for a more opaque finish.

The photo above shows Mademoiselle after 2 coats. It doesn't quite cover the tips of the nails so you can see how translucent it is; I don't like my nails to look white but I do like the colour to show up.

I don't think I'm a sheer polish kind of person however at work nail polish seems to be a no no, especially as my new job requires lots of hands on work with spanners - no joke.

Four coats seem to have done the trick and this is a much better colour for me. I've actually really liked wearing such a sheer colour on my nails this week and it seems to have been a welcome change for me.

As always Essie polishes are top notch in application and quality and the top coat is one of my favourites. The combination of all three polishes seem to have created a rock hard manicure that hasn't budged whatsoever, even with all my new found spanner and screwdriver skills. 

This is definitely a colour I would recommend for those who love all nudes and sheer finishes. I'm sure I'll pick up more in future, Essie is just too irresistible!

What's your favourite Essie polish? Do you prefer sheer or opaque polishes?

L xxx

Beauty Blender

Hi pals!

Just a quick review for you today, you might have heard of it yonks ago but sometimes I fear I live under a rock.

The Original Beauty Blender came onto my radar when M told me about it (many times!) and raved about how good her dupe one was. I just couldn't get over the sponge applicator things and decided my Real Techniques were enough for me.

The BB as it will now be called (I'm lazy at typing right now, 4.30am starts all week have ruined my body clock!) made it's way into my life courtesy of my aunty who gave my her Birchboxes that she had been bought as a gift - what a super hero she is!

I've loved getting them as you can imagine and have had a lot of fun rummaging every time one appears. This one was particularly exciting though when i realised i had a REAL one!

Let's face it, the pink excites me. It's super girly for a gadgety kind of thing and I almost didn't want to get it dirty by adding foundation, but i took a deep breath and got over it.

I have been told that using the blender whilst wet is the best way forward so I run this under the tap quickly and squeeze/shake off the excess so it's damp. I have found from experience that using a thicker foundation such as Vichy Dermablend as opposed to something thinner like UD's Naked Skin works better but that may just be me. I found thicker products easier to blend out and give an even coverage whereas the thinner products tended to move around my face!

Here's a photo of my face where I've applied Dermablend with the BB. It creates a flawless base for other products to be added onto and the pointed end helps to blend around the nose and eyes, and is great for concealer application too.

It also comes with it's own nifty little cleansing block which is very handy and lovely surprise!

I've used this a few times and washing the blender is easy, rinse it under the tap, rub the bar onto the sponge and lather it up before rinsing. There really is no excuse but to wash this one regularly (though I always seem to find one!)

I have totally come round to the idea of a Beauty Blender and have been enjoying using it on my face in the mornings, definitely a girls version of a gadget!

It creates a flawless base quite easily, and although you might think it will take you longer than using a brush it actually doesn't which surprised me. The only drawback i can see is that it costs £16.50, which by all accounts is a little excessive. It's more expensive than a lot of brushes which seem to have a lot more work gone into them, if it was price more at the £10 mark i probably wouldn't have batted an eyelid!

Having said that, if that's all that I can find that's wrong with it....maybe it is worth the price.

Have you tried the Beauty Blender before? Are you a lover or a hater?
Have you found a comparable dupe?

L xxx

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil

Happy Sunday ladies!

Hope you're all having a fabulous weekend. We've got another double review for you today of a product we picked up a few weeks ago on the Easter weekend.

The Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer pencil is one that we'd never seen before the event that we attended but we both instantly decided, along with Nina from The Little Nomad that we all needed it and we cleared out the counter!

We all got colour matched and were all the same colour 'CIA'. It was super lucky that they had exactly 3 left as it is such a popular shade. There are 10 shades available and the pencils cost £12 for 3.5g of product.





This product is perfect to cover up red area, blotches, blemishes, under eye bags and also to highlight areas such as under the brow. It's creamy, long lasting and completely mess and fuss free. All you need to do is apply the product direct to your skin and then buff in with a brush of your choice.

The pencil dries to a semi matte finish and claims to be smudge free.






I really like pencil products like this, they're so easy to use and are pretty much a one-stop product to cover up so many kinds of flaws and imperfections making it fast and easy to use in the morning.

I've been using this pretty much all over my face. It's great in the mornings to apply on my under eye bags, spots and under my brows to highlight them. I do think that the colours in the range are great as even CIA might be too light for me sometimes. Its perfect to help cover up undereye bags which need that bit of extra lightness and opacity.

Below are two images of the concealer under my eyes, its such a massive difference to my usual black eyed look!

Here it is with a looooooooad of black eye make up on the eye, still doesn't even look like a hint of a shadow underneath. I am so sold!

The only issue I've had with this so far is how fast the product is disappearing and how hard it can be to sharpen. You definitely need a large sharpener with a sharp blade to cut through the plastic. I've been combatting the usage problem by applying my usual Lasting Perfection concealer first which helps to cover most things and then i apply the 24/7 concealer onto my under eye area to help brighten it.

What do you think of the 24/7 Concealer Pencil? Do you rate its coverage and finish?

L xxx

Afternoon all.

As soon as I tested this out on the back of my hand I was totally sold and instantly told myself I had to have it. A girl always needs concealer right?!

As L said I think the past few weeks of sunshine have added a slight bit of colour to my face and I have found the shade a tad light now but I'm sure as soon as Autumn hits and I'm back to my ghostly white shade I'm going to be reaching for this.

The fact it's a pencil intrigued me. I've not had a concealer in pencil form before. I had the lipstick style ones but let's face it they were usually cheap, thick and cakey. I love how this melts onto the skin and when buffed in just cover. I do find for my under eyes I need to layer it a little. It doesn't look cakey though even when layered up.

I find the shade we picked also great to combat the redness I always have around my nose. 

I do like this concealer but I wouldn't say I love it. For me nothing beats my Nars but the Urban Decay one is almost half the price so I think this will be a repurchase for everyday where!

Have you tried it? What's your go to high end concealer?

Love M

xxx

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation

Happy Friday!!!

This is a rather late post that I didn't actually think i'd be writing as it has taken so long.



I picked up Revlon's Nearly Naked foundation as soon as it came out (no idea when that was now!). The promise of coverage that looked 'nearly naked' was very promising and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I chose colour 130 - Shell.

However after using it for a few days I was back to my usual foundations because the coverage wasn't enough and my face looked awful, so it was consigned back to the foundation box and forgotten about.



Having decided that i need to stop buying more and start using up it has recently come back into my life as I was determined not to waste it and my money. I started off by mixing it with other foundations so it was thicker and provided more coverage, but after applying it one day alone I suddenly realised the effects that everyone else had been raving over!



The bottle itself is glass which is lovely and luxurious but doesn't have a pump which is a little irritating. It means I end up pouring it out onto the back of my hand which can be a bit of a nightmare as I'm clumsy first thing in the morning.

That aside, I apply it with my Real Techniques buffing brush and after a few minutes of blending I really love the effect it has. My skin must have improved enough that it only needs lower coverage to look uniform, which is lovely and shows my hard work is paying off!

Emma Stone's skin in the adverts looks amazing and I'd love to look as naturally beautiful as she does.

My skin is nowhere near that good and god knows I get some lovely outbursts at the moment which don't seem to have any reason but in between those moments, I use this foundation and here are the results:

I have no other make up on in these pictures apart from the Nearly Naked foundation, so excuse my non existent eyes, brows and lips, ghost anyone?!

That said, the foundation has blended seamlessly into my skin and there's not a tango tideline nor a cakey catastrophe in sight. I'm actually amazed how well this blends now.




I do think that having slightly drier skin helps with this product, for oily skins the product would just slide off which is what was happening to me before, and then not cover enough of my blemishes.

I apply this everyday without primer as it seems to stick to my skin and stay well enough without, which is a money saver in itself!

Are you a fan of Nearly Naked? Which other products in the range do you like?

What's your favourite Revlon product? I'm such a fan, if only they wouldn't test on animals!


L xxx

Bourjois Happy Light Primer

When we went to a Cardiff meet a few weeks ago all of us went off shopping. Of course we had to go to Boots. I'd planned on not spending anything but after trying this out on my hand I just couldn't resist picking it up.

The Bourjois Happy Light Base Serum Matte is a lightweight primer which seems to just sink into the skin without leaving it feeling masked and heavy as I find a lot of mattifying primers do.

It comes in a glass bottle with a pump which is my preferred type for foundation and primers. Glass bottles just feel more expensive to me. Annoying to travel but I'm not someone who goes abroad much so it's not a problem for me.

The primer is a nude colour and does feel as light as a serum. I love that this leaves the skin matte without feeling like silicon. It seems to smooth onto my skin and sink in. I've found it really helps my foundation stay oil free but I don't think it makes it last any longer. I am currently having a love hate with all my foundations and lasting power at the moment.

It is smaller than most other primers as it's only 15ml. It retails for £10.99 but I picked it up for £6.99. Due to size I wouldn't pick it up when not on offer. Luckily 3 for 2 is usually on in boots so I'll be repurchasing when this is on.

Would you be put off by size? Porefessional is another small size primer.

Love M

xxx

Having tried this on the back of my hand, I was super excited for this primer as like m mentioned above, I'm also having a love hate relationship with my base products at the moment.
My skin is finally under control (mostly) but make up wise I just cannot win.

I still get shine so I need powder and mattifying products but my skin is so much more dehydrated now that I need products that aren't going to clump and cake on my face. Sigh.

Packaging wise, i like the thin glass bottle and the sturdy pump that dispenses a nice small amount without wasting any product.

However the bottle is TINY when you realise there's only 15ml of product in there which is equivalent to a full size OPI polish. Although they are priced similarly at £10.99 for the primer, I just couldn't justify the price knowing that I'd use a decent amount of it every day.

This did apply nicely to my face and I found that I didn't need loads of product and I felt it mattified my skin and left it ready for my foundation to be applied.
After foundation application I felt my make up was 'stuck' to my face, mostly in a good way as it felt that it was going to stay on my face and last. However I didn't find that it did, on my cheeks and patches on my forehead my base clumped together in patches and my t-zone was still shiny.
I tried this with multiple types of foundations but unfortunately so far this has not been for me.

I'm intent on finding something that works with it to see if I do love it like others have, if you have any suggestions let me know?

Maybe I'd be better off with the other primer they've just released as there's also a Normal/Dry skin primer but as my skin isn't dry I'm not sure it's appropriate either?

Sigh!

L xxx

Review: Vichy Dermablend Foundation

Hello!

I've got a foundation review for you here which has been a long time coming.

I bought this foundation a fair few months ago.....probably last Christmas!

It was a favourite of mine for a while but then got lost in the contents of my make up collection. I'm happy to say I've found it again and have been loving using it.

Vichy;s Dermablend foundation is a favourite of lots of bloggers and has a bit of a cult following.

As a foundation produced by a skincare company you'd be correct in thinking that this is a foundation that has a great bare skin feel with lots of good qualities.

Dermablend is a Fluid Corrective Foundation that lasts for 16 hours with high coverage and a matte finish. Not only all of this it's also suitable for sensitive skin, is non comedogenic, hypoallergenic and paraben free with SPF 35 just to put the cherry on the top of the cake!

My colour was the lightest shade, Opal 15.

I did worry that this would be too light on some occasions as for once it actually is a really pale shade which should make us British pasty girls rejoice! 

The packaging is quite simple and the tube is sturdy enough to stand on its own and allows the product to drain to the bottom which lots of bottle foundations tend to have a problem with.

So what is it like on the skin? Here's a super close up of my forehead so you can see how natural it is:

How much does that look like it's my skin?! I totally wish it was the case, but seeing as its not at least I know I can apply this foundation and hope for the best!

I love how blemish free my complexion is and it's blended in so easily it's like a second skin.

As for my face as a whole, this is with the foundation applied to my entire face with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush and no other make up:

It's hard to keep describing how much I love this foundation, but it truly is a second skin that makes your own complexion just look better. It's pretty effortless to apply and lasts for a long time on your face without slipping, I do get a shiny t-zone but I do with every product so this isn't a surprise.

What do you think of the Vichy Dermablend Foundation? Have you tried it? Will you be snapping it up?

I'm so glad I've found this in time for winter when my skin is definitely paler than it was in the summer months, and if not, it blends perfectly with other foundations to achieve your ideal colour.

L xxx