FOTD: Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation

As I haven't used my recently purchased Illamasqua Rich Liquid enough to write a full review, I thought why not do a FOTD to just show you guys what it looks like? :)

(I'm not naked.. just wearing a tube top :P)

I know it looks like a really easy look, but in reality, this foundation is a bit time-consuming to apply! I mix it in with some Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer, and holding the end of my MAC 109, lightly brush it onto my face. That being said, it's worth it! It gives a really luminous matte finish, and stays on all day. Average oil control, and doesn't transfer if you blot! I have my doubts about its durability through rain, as one day when I was wearing this I ended up with spotty foundation on my chin and between my eyebrows - will be running some tests before a full review, but so far I am loving it except for how long it takes! :)

Anyway, I quite like this look - it doesn't have the same natural/care-free feel as a medium coverage natural finish foundation, but I quite like the more polished, "a little bit made up" base combined with the minimal effort everywhere else. I think it's quite classy! I've been loving filling in my eyebrows, and the pop of pink on my lips I think balances out the neutral-ness of everything else :)

Here's what I have on my face:

Face:

Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation in RF233

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC35

Bourjois Compact Powder in 73 Miel Dore

Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

NARS Blush in Luster

Eyes:

Clinique Superfine Liner for Brows in 03 Deep Brown

MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara

UNE SkinGlow Pencil in G04

Lips:

MAC Lipstick in Please Me


I've been wanting some easy-to-apply matte foundations - some on the list are Chanel Mat Lumiere and MAC Studio Fix Fluid. Does anyone have any recommendations? :) For those with Mat Lumiere, is it quite similar to the finish of this Illamasqua one?

What base do you use for a polished look? :)

<3yu

Review: Dior Diorskin Forever Foundation Review

When I settled on the Dior Diorskin Forever Extreme Wear Flawless Make Up with SPF 25, a lot of people seemed to show interest in it, and there aren't enough reviews out there in my opinion, so here is my two cents on this foundation :)

Shades:

Firstly, my shade is 030 which is Medium Beige (MAC NC35-ish). The coding system for Dior foundations work so that the second number indicates the darkness, and the last number indicates the tone. For example, 0 is neutral, 1 is warm/yellow-toned, and 2 is cool/pink-toned. I know there is a 050, but not sure about the range inbetween and beyond that. I think this oxidizes ever so slightly, so it's best to keep that in mind.

Packaging:

I'm not a fan of the navy lid, but the frosted glass, the 'CD' imprint on top and the silver band with "DIORSKIN" is gorgeous. However, it is heavy and sturdy-feeling so it's more of a vanity foundation. Also - I feel like it'll be such a waste when I finish it. High end companies should have foundation refills.. who's with me?! *eco-warrior mode*

The pump is great - it's pretty, high-quality, and it's controllable.

Formula:

The formula is quite watery, and you do have to shake it before you use it but it's not as runny as the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or the Bourjois Healthymix (i.e. it's not dripping in the above picture).

A little goes a long way, and I find that the most I use is 2.5 pumps, which is with a duo-fibre brush, and with fingers, I use 1.5 for my whole face.

There is a relatively strong smell, but it does go away after you put the formula on your face. It's a very perfume-y smell so if you are sensitive to smells I'd suggest to give it a sniff before you buy it.

SPF 25 = No no to flash photography.

Some people say light-to-medium coverage, I think it's full on medium. I could even use this as concealer if I wanted to, because it's so light it doesn't cake :)

The Wear:

Absolutely gorgeous. It disappears into my skin, and it really looks as if I'm not wearing foundation. Does it feel like I'm not wearing foundation? Close enough, but it's definitely not heavy!

As an "Extreme Wear" make up, it's supposed to last you through "unfriendly environments". I haven't been in many unfriendly environments to be honest lol, but the truth is it wears away in such a natural way - no creases, no patchiness, no nothing, so I can't really tell until I use a make-up wipe how much is left on my face - which is usually quite a lot. I've read reviews that said the person has walked through rain with it on and it was still good :) (Hopefully will never come to that).

I think it's also meant to be transfer resistant but that claim is always a bit dubious cuz most people put blusher/bronzer/powder over it anyway.

The Finish:

I'd say it was a semi-matte finish, and the finish of Forever is as natural as a foundation could be in my opinion - looking at my face in the mirror, I can't really tell that I'm wearing a foundation. If I can't tell, others probably can't either. The finish of this has made me want to invest in cream products so I can maintain that naturalness so I don't have to powder.

But but but.. it isn't the best at oil control so I always have to powder my t-zone, which kinda ruins the natural look (MAC MSFN is natural, but it's no good at oil control) and after a while it does start to feel like you have foundation on cuz you can feel yourself oiling up (gross, sorry!). Might be okay for those with normal skin! I've recently bought a mattifying lotion - so hopefully that will help!

Is this my HG foundation?

In formula, it could be - like I said, the finish and wear is to die for. But the lack of oil-control, the unnecessarily extravagant jar, and the price - £28.50 - puts me off a little bit. But again, a mattifying moisturizer may help.

Positives:

- Looks like you're not wearing foundation

- Light-weight

- Medium coverage

- Long-lasting

- Wears away nicely

- Little goes a long way

- SPF 25

Negatives:

- Not great at oil control

- Waste of a jar when you're done!

As it is my first ever high-end foundation, I will probably keep looking. But I really do like this foundation, and don't regret buying it at all :) I'd give it a 8/10!

UPDATE: You can buy the new formula from Debenham's for £29.50 :)

Have you tried any Dior foundations? What's your HG foundation?

<3yu

Summer Foundation: The Decision :)

After the amazing response of my Summer Foundation Dilemma post, it would be rude not to tell you all what I have decided will be my first high-end foundation. Thanks to everyone who gave a suggestion - I looked up each and everyone of them, I feel like a foundation encyclopedia now lol! Anyway, without further ado, I chose..

The Diorskin Forever Extreme Wear Flawless Make Up in Shade 030 Medium Beige

I got this in the Debenham's 10% off sale for about £25.65 which I think is a good price to try a high-end foundation. It usually retails at £28.50.

The packaging isn't blowing me away - I think I'm still feeling awkward because it does not fit in with my other make-up at ALL because it's so friggin' luxurious. I'm sat here looking at it like, "..who are you, where are you from, and what are you doing here, you don't belong here!' (I've developed a habit of talking to make-up.. dear God).

Here are my expectations, drawing from reviews and the description:

- Lightweight

- Long-lasting

- Medium Coverage

- Semi Matte Finish

I've swatched it on my hand and WOW - it's so liquidy, but the coverage is there and the finish is definitely semi-matte, and nothing like what I've seen the MAC Face & Body to be like:

There seems to be no cakiness, or even a feeling that I have make-up on my hand, yet the coverage is there. It's also very velvety to the touch, and has a fragrance, which I didn't smell until I put my nose to it. And it's pretty impressive that what you see above was the tiniest pump I could have possibly done (the pump itself is very high quality and controllable), and it covered the whole back of my hand.

So far I'm preferring it to the Diorskin Nude, Dior Satin Eclat, and the NARS Sheerglow, but I won't know if I prefer it over the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua until I actually apply it.

I'm looking forward to try this out. I have to say I'm not 100% convinced yet as I have yet to get that really giddy and EEEP!-ing feeling about this product, but I think that's to be expected when your face hasn't experienced it yet!

My foundation hunt, to say the least, has been stressful! I've learnt from the lovely Delyteful Speaks (who has stuck with me through my uhm's, and ah's - bless her!) that it's very hard to pick the perfect foundation and that it can be very stressful, but it seems I've found a foundation that in theory matches what I want - here's to the start of the HG foundation hunt! :P

What is your HG foundation? :)

Remember to keep an eye out for the full review in a few weeks time! I hope it's a good one ;)

<3yu

The Summer Foundation Dilemma.. Help!

I am on the hunt for a perfect summer foundation, and I need your help! It's been a year since I started using liquid foundation, and the only ones I've bought were the Revlon Colourstay, Barbara Daly Oil Free Foundation and Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation. I don't want to repurchase any of these, and am on a look out for my first high-end foundation :) Here are the contesters:

1. Dior Diorskin Nude Foundation (£29.50)

I'm currently using a sample that I got at House of Fraser, and I have to say I'm not totally blown away. The coverage is pretty light - not as light as a tinted moisturizer, but to the extent where I'm not sure if it defeats the purpose of wearing a foundation. The finish however is incredibly natural, even with the MAC MSFN on top. I want to love this foundation, but I also feel I get oilier a bit faster? It doesn't help that I'm out of my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish that usually controls my oils and blemishes. I have quite a lot of the sample left, so I will keep testing.

2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (£31)

I tried the tiny samples that come in magazines for this and the application was a dream - it felt like a liquid mousse. That being said, it didn't really look that natural - it was quite matte. The coverage however, was perfect. But it was also 'unsettable' with my MAC MSFN, as it looked quite cakey when I did. The price also is one of the higher ones, considering you get a plastic packaging..

3. MAC Face & Body Foundation (£23.50)

I've just heard so many good things about this, and the major plus is that it's the cheapest of them all, and you get four times as much as the other foundations. That being said, I'm not sure I'm a fan of the wetness that you apparently get, and also I worry about it breaking me out as MAC foundations seem to do that to a lot of people.

Some others I've been contemplating:
- Guerlain Lingerie de Peau
- Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation
- MaxFactor Second Skin
- Bourjois Sleep Effect or Healthy Mix

I think you can tell that I'm looking for a light-medium coverage, mostly water-based, light-weight foundation that claims to be a 'second skin', or that you aren't wearing make-up and all that good stuff. If you have any suggestions at all, please let me know, and link me to your reviews if you have any of these or of any summer foundations you love! :)

So girlies, what is your favourite foundation for the summer? :)

<3yu

EPIPHANY! The Perfect Spring Foundation Application :)

A few days ago, I was in a rush for the first time in ages and I couldn't be bothered with liquid foundation so I grabbed my favourite powder the MAC MSF (which I haven't used in ages thanks to P15P) and my MAC 109.. and had an epiphany!

Step 1: Wash face with Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish - this gives you the smoothest base/skin, and over time will get rid of minor scars and redness.

Step 2: Moisturize - I use Botanic's Day Shift Cream, as this is very hydrating and meant for dry skin (I have combo skin). Try and use one that isn't mattifying, or one that takes a bit longer to sink in to your skin.

Step 3: Load the MAC 109 with the MAC MSF, and swirl on your face in sections. Combined with the smooth palette of a face from Liz Earle's cleanser and the hydration from the moisturizer, it creates a light-medium coverage with an incredibly flawless finish.

This has made me realise how clogged and full-on liquid foundation can feel without us knowing because we use it all the time. I love love love this combo because it's so light, and it gives me a very natural effect, and both of these are perfect for the light sunshine-y weather we've been having here in the UK. What a breather!

All 3 products are quite popular, so I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people have all 3, but maybe it's worth a try with substitutes too! Obviously what works for me doesn't work for everyone, but I'd still recommend giving it a shot :)

What do you do for a lighter but equally good foundation routine? Or what do you do for your face when you're in a rush? :)

<3yu

Favourite Products of 2010!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my Hiatus post. I've been having a great time with my family, but today we're having a chill night so I thought I'd take the time and figure out what my favourite products of 2010 are :)

This is honestly my first year being truly into make up and I think I started around March/April-ish, and it completely sky-rocketed after the creation of my YouTube channel in May. So you'll find that a lot of the things I put in here are things that I bought in the last half a year so.. excuse me if it's not ALL of 2010 :P

Enough babbling I think! :)

The Runners Up - in no particular order are..

(Top L clockwise: MaxFactor False Lash Effect; MAC Satin Taupe e/s; Duo-Fibre Stippling Brush; ELF Eyeshadow Brush; Sleek Storm Palette)

MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara I think it just a great all-around mascara, that helps to enhance rather than make me look unnatural. Love it.

MAC Satin Taupe deserves all the raving it gets - it's a brilliant colour, hard to dupe, and has been one of my go-to autumn/winter colour!

The Duo-Fibre Brush is something that changed how I see foundation - it's so much more fun and stress-free because of this brush :)

The ELF Eyeshadow Brush is the best e/s brush I had for a while in terms of quality and price, and is something I wouldn't throw away even if I have the MAC 239 now.

The Sleek Storm Palette probably leading the way as it is one of my first palettes, incredibly useful, and just so well-rounded.

Tied for 4th Place are..

 (L: Rimmel London's Nude Delight No. 700 & R: Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette)

Rimmel London's Nude Delight Lipstick No. 700 is my perfect nude that I have been searching so long for. I've never looked back on the day I got this and it was my go-to lipstick over the summer! It's hybernating atm and replaced by MAC's The Faerie Glen, as Nude Delight is very much a summer nude, but it will come back in a couple of months I'm sure :)

Coastal Scents' 28 Neutral Palette - you've heard me rave about this in the review. Go check it out here! :) In short, extremely usable, value for money, alternative while I grow my MAC collection, allows for new looks with matte colours, and everything else wonderful :)

3rd Place is also a tie with..

(LOL I'm such a cheat!)

 (L: MAC Blush in Style & R: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus)

MAC Blush in Style is my one and only MAC blush, and it has been that way for so long because it's my go-to blush, I love it, I know it looks good on me, and.. well, I love it.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish is like the stock room people in stores that you always forget exists but would be hopeless without! :P Something I reach for everyday, and something that is just so beautifully subtle and unnoticeable. It's light, it's barely there but has very good coverage.. I'm not sure what to say, I think other lovers out there know what I mean lol I forget its existence but does its job.. this is making me confused! LOL!

2nd Place goes to..

The Bodyshop Seaweed Series

This changed my skin. I'm sure the meds from the dermatologist did too, but this just cleanses my skin and maintains it so well. It just washes it to the right level - not too harsh, not too useless. It does the perfect middle ground for me, I feel like I'm just washing my face with water but.. better lol. God I really am confusing myself here..

& Favourite Product of the Year goes to..

MAC Studio Finish Concealer with SPF 15 in NC35

Alongside the Bodyshop Seaweed series, this concealer helped repair my teenage-acne prone skin both physically and emotionally (too deep Yu, too deep). Whenever I used other concealers and saw that they didn't cover my scars, I was very conscious of it and felt like my scars were too big to be covered, and therefore I required more coverage than everyone else cuz everyone else didn't seem to have scars. Guess they were using MAC Studio Finish Concealer :P

So there ya go! :) My lovely best friends of my make-up bag & sink (haha) - hope you guys enjoyed!

If you have any questions about the products, do feel free to ask :) & don't forget to link me to your yearly favourites! :)

<3yu

P.S. Keep an eye out for a video on this :)

Best Kept Secrets - Barbara Daly Oil-Free Foundation Review

"Best Kept Secrets" is something I came up with (5min ago), which is basically going to be reviews/intros to products that not a lot of people know of. One of the most viewed videos on my YouTube is "Top 5 Unknown Drugstore Products" so.. I thought people might like this too! :)

My first BKS is going to be on Barbara Daly's Oil-Free Foundation. If you guys don't know who Barbara Daly is, she is a famous make-up artist from England (Leeds to be specific) who's worked with the likes of Twiggy, Cindy Crawford as well as for politicians like Margaret Thatcher. Her make-up range is exclusive to Tesco, and can be found in larger stores.

Packaging: As you can see, the packaging is absolutely gorgeous. It's so sleek - the bottle is very "clinky"-sounding, frosted glass, and the logo is so.. classy! Yes, the packaging is what drew my eyes, I'm not even going to deny it. However, the surprise doesn't stop there.. this foundation is neither pour-out nor pump. It's a spatula:

And to be honest, I prefer it to pour-out or pump, because I can put this directly on my face without having the mess on the back of my hands, or a need for a palette. It's great for personal use. Also, you get 29ml which is a good amount to have before you get bored. And the size is really cute and easy to pop into your make-up bag!

Formula: I bought the 'oil-free' foundation, and there is another line with exactly the same packaging and same colour range called 'moisture' foundation. So you can pick one that suits your skin type, which immediately rules out the possibility of a too-dry face or a too-oily face (which I think is one of the reasons why Revlon Colorstay is so popular). I have quite sensitive skin, and this hasn't broken me out. I would say this oil-free range is a mattifying foundation (as opposed to say a natural/dewy finish).

Secondly, it smells like cinnamon-y soap. I know this shouldn't factor into the judgment but guys - it is YUMMY! 'Nuf said.

Thirdly, and most importantly, it blends so well, doesn't dry too quick, and sits on your face SO well. I find it to be really light on my skin and I can tell that it looks like I have less make-up on than when I used to use Revlon Colorstay, but with the same amount of coverage. I put the minimum amount of this and it has medium to full coverage. I use much much less concealer than I used to. MUCH less.

Colour Range: This is the only thing I'd say wasn't the best about this foundation. I got the darkest one, and I noticed that there was a massive gap between this one and the one lighter than this. Also, I'm a NC30-35, and it was way too yellow for me (if you guys have watched my foundation video, you know I mix it with a more pinky foundation), so it may be the case that you mix like I do or you wont find a colour :( which sucks!

Price: £6.99. I was on a budget when I was looking for this and it was £5 cheaper than the Revlon Colorstay so I was a bit skeptical, but.. never mind! :P

I love this foundation, and it's just a shame that the colour range is quite bad. That is the only thing that would put me off rebuying it, but I love my routine now so much that I wouldn't be surprised if I rebuy this alongside the other foundation that I mix it with. So..

Rebuy?: I think so! :P

<3yu

P.S. I realise that some people may be skeptical of the review because I mix it with another foundation, and it might give different results than as using it on its own. However, I've applied it on its own and I've been testing it on blemishes on my hand as I wrote this so I hope you guys find that credible enough :)

P.S.S Click here for a tutorial on how I use this foundation :)

How to Apply Flawless Foundation

Hellooooo, (especially to the 8 of you - love and respect for having faith in a blog with.. well, 7 followers without you!)

So. After trial and error, I've finally found a foundation routine that I love (I actually look forward to doing it.. lol, sad?), and I've learnt a lot through YouTube and the aforementioned trial and error so I thought I'd share with you guys! :)

(Remember to check out the rest of my videos @ http://www.youtube.com/MakeYuUp :))
And to refer to what it looks like properly - go to my post from 11.15 FOTD! And trust me my skin is far from clear!

Key things to think about when choosing your foundation is basically..

* Am I cool (yellow) or warm (pink) toned? (This is in MAC terms.. most other companies use cool = pink, warm = yellow!)

* Is this shade matching my neck? (ALWAYS go with a trusted friend!)

* Is it the right darkness/lightness?
* Do I want a dewy or a matte finish?

The products that I used can be found on the left-hand side bar - I list my current faves there :)

Just remember that there are many ways to apply your foundation, and the 'best way' to apply your foundation depends mostly on what you like, but also the foundation. For example, is this particular foundation not good with a sponge because the sponge soaks it all up (this actually does depend on consistency etc.,!)? Or is this foundation too thick to be applying with a orthodox, flat, foundation brush?

I'm not a pro. So I may be chatting absolute bollocks but this is what I've learnt and what I've found to be the simplest way to explain foundations :) Hope you found it helpful, and leave any questions that you'd like. Here's mine to you:

What's your go-to/holy grail foundation?

TLC guys, TLC.
<3yu