foundation

Base Bonanza: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation

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From the beginning of 2012 to the middle of 2013, I wore Make Up For Ever HD Foundation pretty much exclusively ( to wards the end I had LM Silk Creme but wore it like once a month) and I can easily say that this is a great foundation.

Ingredients: Aqua, Cyclopentasiloxane, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Mica, talc, PEG-10 Dimenthicone, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Phenyl, Trimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Lauroyl Lysine, Dimenthicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Cyclohexacyloxane, Methylisothiazolinone, Sorbitan Sesquileate, Silver Oxide, Propylene, Carbonate, Parfum (fragrance), Methylparaben, Fagus Sylvatica Extract (Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract), Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, [+/- CI 77891 )titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides).

The Claims -8/10

According to the Sephora website, <strongMake Up Forever HD Foundation claims to provide buildable medium to full coverage that conceals imperfections “flawlessly” with a soft-focus effect, remaining invisible both on film and in real life.

On the coverage front the product is spot on and the finish is rather interesting; initially providing a velvety-satin finish but has more radiance in sunlight and as time goes on.

I would hesitate to say its invisible in real life and on film. It has no SPF and photographs beautifully. It’s hardly detectable and I’d say the same about it in real life.

Formula – 8.5/10

This foundation has a thick viscous fluid texture. The finish is pretty natural (but with a hint of radiance) but unfortunately highlights severe dry-patches. Despite it’s texture, it blends beautifully and sheers out like a dream.

I’m wearing shade 115 which is slightly too pink-toned and pale for me but the shade range is fabulous, catering to very fair to deep skin tones in various undertones.

According to COSDNA, there are no particularly troubling irritants in this but we each have our own skin sensitivities. It does contain a small amount of fragrance though.

Longevity – 9/10

Across the board, this foundation has great longevity, just not as great as foundations like Revlon Colorstay etc. Oilier skin types may need to touch up with powder and to blot but there don’t tend to be significant issues with wear (my friend provided me with this info) but on my drier skin it lasts a very long time. I accidentally had it on for 18 hours on the night of my prom and it hardly faded but on the down side it settled into my dehydrated patches unattractively (keep in mind that I have dry and dehyrated skin).

Packaging- 9/10

The packaging is somewhat large but is not particularly fragile. The container features a functional pump that dispenses a rather practical amount of product with a matching black cover. It contains the standard 30 mLs of product.

Value – 8.5/10

This is a great foundation, suitable in my opinion for normal to combination skin. I find it highlights dryness but not to a severe degree and those with truly oily complexions may not find it controls oil well enough. It’s a great special occasion foundation that photographs beautifully. The formulation is concentrated, requiring a minimal amount for significant coverage. It can be built up without becoming significantly more obvious and also looks relatively natural in real life.

It retails for $49 CDN/ 42 US dollars at Sephora

Total Grade: 43/50  A

Before - my naked face
Before – my naked face
The foundation set with NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray and concealer just underneath the eyes
The foundation set with NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray and concealer just underneath the eyes – and highlighter on my cheekbones. I’m wearing a smaller pump of this all over my face – more coverage can be built up

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For anyone who is curious and some have you might have guessed because of the title, I plan on doing a series of foundation/concealer reviews and uncreatively calling it “base bonanza” of all the face products I own and then do a comparison and favourites post. Fingers crossed, I’ll be able to stick to this.

October Beauty Favourites

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October ended up being even crazier than September. I’ve been exhausted, the weather has cooled dramatically and school has been insane with midterms, papers and all. This month I began to experience the wonderful phenomenon that is my skin’s response to the cooler season (itchiness, redness, skin burning and dehydration) and learned to adapt my makeup routine to make it as quick as possible – you know the grab and go routine where you have two minutes until you’re out the door and look terrible? In light of this, my favourites became fairly apparent this month.

Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer Daily Hydrator

I just talked about this in my fall skincare edit (here) for good reason. I am one of those people that suffer from serious dehydration and sensitivity the moment the weather begins to get colder and this moisturizer has really impressed me as compensation for this. i really appreciate that the moisturizer is lightweight and fast-absorbing while still being incredibly rich and soothing.

Nars Orgasm Powder Blush

For some reason, this hyped-up shade is one I find myself reaching for much more frequently in the cooler months. It gives a flattering, brightening glow to the cheeks, I’d say. I do have to mention that it’s not super unique but I have been loving this warm pink-coral blush with golden shimmer.

Dior Miss Dior Fragrance

I’ve never really been a perfume but lately I’ve really been getting into using this one. I adore that it’s sophisticated while still being young, subtle and not the sweetest in the least. It is fresh with a hint of woodsiness to it but don’t take my description here as fact because I am not talented at describing scents. I’m working my way through my sample from Sephora and am seriously debating purchasing it full-sized.

MAC Patisserie Lipstick

This is the first Lustre I’ve purchased from MAC and i quite like the formula – moisturizing, medium pigmented and has a nice sheen. This shade is a warm-toned pinky-brown wearable nude and it wears for a few hours and doesn’t emphasize dry patches on the lips.

Bourjois 10 Hr Sleep Effect Foundation

As I mentioned in my review, (link here) I picked up this foundation in the third shade which is 73, a nicely neutral fair-ish shade. I find that with a pump of product this offers slightly more coverage than light but not quite medium. This foundation emphasizes dry patches less than any other foundation I’ve tried (although severe ones will still be noticable) and offers a natural-looking dewy skin finish and decently-good longevity. I think this foundation is rather under-hyped.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

I’ve definitely mentioned the complexity of my thoughts on this palette before and recently put up a review (link here! but I can honestly say I’ve really made use of (and enjoyed) using this palette this month. Although these shades are obviously rather warm toned and shimmery it’s made it’s way into the staples pile. I like how it contains every single basic shade I need for a look. Sin is a gorgeous subtle lid shade, buck and naked are great for filling in my brows or in the crease, creep is great for subtle lining and darkhorse and hustle are great for the outer v! I like more but those are my absolute picks and they create the quick no-fuss and flattering defined eye.

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny

I’m not exactly sure how this purchase happened, well sort of. Like many other brands of the more affordable variety, NYC is difficult to find in Canada and when I ventured into Walmart (which I rarely do), I couldn’t resist picking this up. It’s a pigmented matte light-medium warm toned bronzer that doesn’t lean particularly orange and I’ve been reaching for this most days. I like that its dark enough and has the right type of colour to add both a bit of warmth and can help to shape the face.

Thoughts?

Bourjois 10 Hr Sleep Effect Foundation

The French side ... whoops :)
The French side … whoops 🙂 It actually reads Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation, Fresh, rested complexion with Vitamin (E,F, B5 and mineral-enriched formula
excuse the fingernails :)
excuse the fingernails 🙂
Before (makeupless)
Before (makeupless)

Ever since I discovered that Bourjois makeup was available in Canada at Shoppers (but not particularly affordably) I have been meaning to try a foundation, as I’ve heard such fantastic things about them. Because my mind is completely irrational, I picked the one that I hadn’t heard much about – Bourjois 10 Hr Sleep Effect foundation.

The foundation is a sheer and truly dewy one offering solid light coverage (or maybe a little more than light asit does cover some redness). I do think the product excels at making dull skin looking rested but as when I’m sick and stressed I have some spots, redness and general imperfections I sometimes require more coverage and might reach for a hefty amount of concealer or a medium-coverage foundation. I think this foundation would show severe dry patches but I do not find it highlights them and I can see myself reaching for this in the dead of winter.

Unless you really pack this on, it is almost imperceptible on the skin and looks like glowing dewy skin. I find this foundation to last all day on me but longevity isn’t ever really a problem on my skin. This is a step dewier than other foundations such as Rimmel Wake Me Up, YSL La Teint Touché Éclat and MAC Mineralize Moisture and feels as light as it appears.

This is a foundation that lacks a wide shade range. It’s not suitable for anyone with a deeper skin tone than a medium tan but it does have some good options for fair skin (71 is a touch fairer than NC15). I picked up this foundation at the end of summer and it matches my slightly darker skin – I picked up shade 73 for $26. This shade is fair-medium in shade with neutral to olive undertones.

In terms of equivalent shades of 73, I can think of a few. It is rather similar to Diorskin Nude in 20 Light Beige, MUFE HD in 118 (don’t have it so I cannot show it) and about a n20-25 (neither particularly warm or cool).

The packaging is neither the best nor the worst. I really like that it comes with a pump and is not particularly large but it does not look luxurious in the least. I don’t mind this but it is something to consider.

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Here I am wearing a small pump of this foundation without any other makeup on my face and I thought I would include a photo of myself wearing it with some concealer and the rest of my makeup done:

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So, here’s my final recommendation: I would probably give this foundation an A-/A as I think it clings to dry patches much less than others and is a great one for natural-looking and glowing skin (for drier skin types) but the shade range is limited. I definitely think this is a good option for fairer skins because the shades start nice and light. I think this foundation is suitable for combination, normal and dry skin looking for some light coverage and luminosity. It’s longevity was good for a sheer foundation and I quite like it. It can be built up slightly by the way. Thoughts?

September Favourites

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September in a nutshell was crazy, stressful, busy and somewhat depressing. I spent much of it in a makeup rut, hard-pressed for time and generally sleep-deprived. Somehow this resulted in some clear favourites,

MAC Dubonnet Lipstick

This is an amplified creme finish lipstick (most likely my favourite) that is a deep berry red with some brown in it and neutral undertones. It is quite versatile as it can be worn as a subtle berry stain or as a deep berry bold lip. The formula is nice and moisturizing while still lasting on the lips. I think it’s that wearable but bold fall lip for me and although many skin tones can wear it, it is an ideal bold lip for fair skin.

Benefit Rockateur Boxed Powder

I must admit that I purchased this product due to a moment of weakness and stress, but I can’t bring myself to regret it whatsoever. I surely did not need another blush, but this is a light-buildable rose-gold with a nice sheen and neutral undertones without being too glittery or shimmery. The colour is really finely milled and the shade is especially unique – a rose gold (not too pink or too peach but rather in the middle) without the coral-orange undertones of shades such as MAC Stereo Rose.

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Ever since I got back into school and those exhausting long days, I had been having issues with my eye shadow creasing and this fixed the problem. Boring favourite, I know.

Mac Harmony Powder Blush

Like most other people, I use this “blush” as a contour powder. I’ve talked about my love of this before, but I’ve gotten into using it slightly differently; I’ve been using it for more of a precise contour then just generally adding shape to my face. It’s sort of an odd colour – a matte, cool brown with reddish undertones. It looks natural as a contour but the ruddiness in the shade can prove to be a difficulty to some.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation

I’ve done a review of this foundation before and as it was then, my shade is Rose Ivory (which oddly has no pink undertones whatsoever…) but I’ve gotten quite into this foundation recently. With minimal product used, I find that you can achieve a good medium-buildable coverage with a slightly luminous finish. My only irritation is that it does stick to dry patches and is not flattering on me when I am having my drier days.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

My shade is 10 Light, which is a fair-light shade with yellow undertones. This is a really natural looking concealer with medium coverage and is easily blendable. I use it both underneath my eyes and on blemishes but I find that it wears off of inflamed blemishes more quickly than I’d like.

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Perversion

I know I mentioned this in last months favourites and all I’ve said about it before still applies but this month I’ve gotten really into tightlining with this and applying it in the waterline. This liner actually stays put and does not irritate my eyes.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation Review

Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation is one of those cult products that everyone seems to love and swear by, so when Sephora put on the $15 dollars off promotion last December I was hooked. Everyone on the planet seemed to be raving about this foundation, claiming that it provided flawless coverage while leaving your skin looking incredibly natural. The back of the package reads: “the ultimate in flawless natural coverage. Silk Creme Foundation is a beautiful, light-diffusing formula offering advanced light-reflection properties which cause fine lines and wrinkles to optically vanish. Laura created an innovative foundation that delivers flawless, buildable coverage in a long wearing rich hydrating base”. Summing this up, Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation is marketed as a radiant foundation that can provide full coverage that looks natural without being drying – it most certainly does not cause fine lines and wrinkles to vanish (not that I have any).

On me, this foundation provides medium coverage and it is buildable, but the crux of the problem here is that on my skin (which tends to get dry and flaky), I cannot build the coverage past medium (and I do have to be careful with the product n general) without the foundation looking really unnatural on me. I would agree with the claim that the foundation is hydrating, which is a nice change of pace for a foundation that offers good coverage.

In my humble opinion, the texture of this foundation leaves much to be desired; sure it’s lovely to feel the lightweight silky cream texture on the hand and it does feel lightweight on the face, but if anything comes into contact with your face, the foundation will rub-off and transfer. It strikes to me that this foundation sets but doesn’t feel like it sets; it feels like wearing a coloured cream on your skin that never quite sinks in. For you glasses-wearers out there, (myself included) I will warn you that because this foundation tends to transfer, it will rub the foundation from the bridge of your nose onto your glasses, leaving a rather disgusting film on your glasses and foundation-less red marks on your face – glasses tend to rub product off when I wear other foundations but not to such a degree as when I wear Laura Mercier Silk Creme.

This may seem rather redundant at this point, but because of the feel of the foundation and the fact that it transfers easily, I find that it needs to be set with a powder. However I find that I lose the satin finish of the foundation that I think is quite nice when I powder it (no matter how lightly) – it is worthy to note that powder does help in terms of the feel of the product itself on the skin.

I applied slightly less than a pea-sized amount of the foundation to my face and neck with a dampened sponge in the morning and ten hours later, the product was still going strong albeit a little faded perhaps — I’ve included pictures at the bottom. I think that Laura Mercier Silk Creme has good lasting power but not amazing; on my dry/dehydrated skin, almost anything will last all day. I did find as the foundation wore, the product settled even more into my dry patches. IMO, the lasting power of this foundation does not rival something like Make Up For Ever HD in terms of longevity.

I picked up my Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Rose Ivory at Sephora. It retails for $43 in the US and $55 in Canada. The shade range is not great, however the shades tend to be good for fairer skin tones (there are three fair shades) and the shades tend to lean yellow. The foundation comes in ten shades, suitable for fair to medium skintones. Sephora seems to only carry eight of these shades – Soft Ivory (the fairest shade) and Peach Ivory (light to medium rose-toned shade) are missing from their selection. The foundation comes in 35 mL squeezy-top packaging.

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same as above, but this photo is taken in the artificial light of my bathroom
same as above, but this photo is taken in the artificial light of my bathroom
All of my makeup on (inc. powder) three hours after initial application
All of my makeup on (inc. powder) three hours after initial application
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after ten hours (no touch-ups)
Foundation swatches on my arm in natural light, from top to bottom: Laura Mercier Silk Creme in Rose Ivory, Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory and MUFE HD in 115
Foundation swatches on my arm in natural light, from top to bottom: Laura Mercier Silk Creme in Rose Ivory, Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory and MUFE HD in 115

Verdict: Although this foundation is quite pricy, I do recommend it as a medium-plus coverage foundation for slightly dry to somewhat oily complexions with the warning that it tends to transfer and the longevity is not amazing. I would not recommend it to someone with truly dry skin as it does settle into dry patches (and I would imagine it would do the same with fine lines) or to someone with really oily skin as it is so creamy.

I hope you enjoy and would love to hear for any product recommendations!

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