Friday 29 July 2011

Foundation Foundation Foundation

Hello lovelies,

So glad to be back blogging again! :-) I've been super busy and had a few knocks to my confidence but now I'm back full of joy again to tell you guys and dolls all about my thoughts on everything from makeup to the ocean :-)

I want to review all the foundations I've used - it's a question I get asked quite often about my favourite foundation, what I'd recommend, what are different foundations like.. Hopefully I can answer all your questions here! :-) However, don't ask me what foundation shade would match you cos without seeing you face to face there's no way on earth I can tell you for definite! I may have a rough idea but don't want you guys purchasing foundations just based on what shade I think you might be.
Note; all the views I'm giving of the longevity etc. of a foundation are based on it being worn with MAC Prep and Prime skin, and then with a powder such as MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Natural or Body Shop Pressed Powder (which is AMAZING) applied with an Illamasqua Blush Brush.
Anyway, let's get going...

i desperately want to love mac foundations but just cant :-(

MAC Studio Fix Fluid

Most peoples favourite MAC foundation is Studio Fix Fluid. Personally it is one of my favourites that they do but I don't really love or entirely recommend it at all.
It is a medium full coverage foundation which means it'll cover any uneven tones in your skin, mask redness well and just really disguise any problem areas you'd rather not let the general public see! Personally I think it's best applied with fingers, or a MAC 187 brush or a sponge - but that's all down to personal preference, and I definitely prefer application with fingers with any foundation! :-) The foundation glides on and sits well on the skin. However on dry skin days no matter how much I've moisturised my skin, I do feel Studio Fix really enhances the look of my dry skin, making it flakey and thus more noticable :-( It lasts for a reasonable amount of time (I'd say 6hours ish) but then slides off in heat :-( So all in all it is a foundation that does its job reasonably well but is not particularly great. In general I use it to mix with other foundations to make a mix that is more full coverage due to the addition of Studio Fix.

completely in love with my chanel prolumiere foundation :-)

Chanel Pro Lumiere Foundation

Dear old Dan bought me this for my birthday after a Chanel lady in Meadowhall applied it - and boy was I impressed! It is a pretty amazing product, it makes skin look luminous without looking sparkly or too oily - it just seems to make you look like you have a super healthy radiance and warmth. Not many products can make you look like you've just finished a week long pamper session! My main downfall with this product is the coverage, it is Chanels idea of full but too me that just isn't enough! I have quite red cheeks and they still show through slightly.. which I guess is good if you want to look natural but slightly enhanced - but I like to look matte and as if my skin is surrealy perfect! :-) So I have to use this foundation with a lot of Dermablend concealer underneath and usually only use it on reasonably good skin days. This apricot smelling foundation is just lovely and although I have to work around it I'm sure I'll be repurchasing when I run out.


Vichy Dermablend Foundation

Now this foundation isn't for the fainthearted. If you want full full full coverage, no underneath pigment showing through, no undertones coming through - you basically want to mask your skin, then this is the foundation for you. I've only found it in Boots in the UK and online - so if you fancy some pop there :-) This foundation is mainly used for people with skin conditions and more as a corrective makeup - for example to correct pigmentation in the skin, mask scarring or tattoos.. but that doesn't mean you can't use it as everyday makeup. Its formulation has been made to work well around any skin type or condition, so not only was it fine with my slight facial eczema, it actually helped it! Brill :-) It is a thick gloopy liquid and you hardly need any to really get the finish you want. It lasts for ages and I am so impressed with it! The only trouble with it is that it does feel quite thick on so I don't particularly like wearing it in summer on warm days, but for nights out and the rest of the year it's perfect! :-) I'd really recommend it :-D Apart from it smells pretty rank hahaha


MAC Studio Moisture Tint

This is more a tinted moisturiser than foundation but on good skin days, sunny warm days or times when I just don't fancy feeling like I've got a full face of makeup on... I use this because it has a good enough coverage to cover things I don't want to be seen, but feels really light on the skin and it kind of feels like I'm letting my skin breathe without being conscious that I have no makeup on. It lasts reasonably well if you keep doing a few powder touch ups and keep your eye on it :-) I'd really recommend this :-)


Loreal True Match Foundation

Lo and behold my favourite foundation in the world EVER. I could sing from the rooftops till the cows come home about this foundation - it stays on all day, it can be mixed with other foundations to vary the finish and coverage you want, it is medium to almost full coverage, it has a matte coverage when powder is applied over it - it's wonderful! You definitely need to wear powder with it though, my skin looks way too shiny without it. I love this stuff so so much! Plus its cheap enough and Boots always have offers on like buy 2 get 2 free so it means you can get a few shades so anytime of the year you can mix them together to get your perfect shade :-) I think that Loreal made this to make a super similar high street dupe of MAC Studio Fix Fluid but I actually think this is better! So don't go wasting your money on Studio Fix :-)



Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

Initially I completed hated this foundation with a passion, I slapped too much on and it just made my skin look cakey flakey and dried out! But then I decided to try using a tiny pea sized amount and it blew me away. It covers any discoloration so so well, and it really makes it look like your own skin is just amazing. You need the tiniest amount ever so I reckon the bottle will last foreverrrrrrrrr (however the bottle is pretty badly designed so it's super hard to squeeze once it's getting a bit emptier :-( ). It lasts longer than an average foundation but not for a super super long time but powder certainly helps its longevity. It can also definitely be used as a concealer too/instead and then use it as a foundation over the top too, just use a teeny amount over a small area to help conceal particular bad spots.



MAC Face and Body Foundation

MAC Face and Body foundation is probably my favourite foundation that MAC has to offer. It's super liquid, has an odd smell but I really love it, and makes skin look SO oily, but once you've got used to it and understand it as a product it can work so well for you! Personally, I apply it in layers until I get the desired coverage I'm after (one layer would just look sheer but you can keep applying layers to get a medium coverage). It sticks to skin really well and is very long lasting - and mixed with other foundations will also make them last longer on your skin too. The only problems I encounter with this foundation is first that it makes my skin look so so shiny and feel kind of oily, but with a sweep of powder the shine is banished!, and secondly that it kind of makes my skin feel like it can't breathe! - but you get used to that hahaha. A huge positive is that it really feels like it moisturises my dry skin and it usually makes my eczema less noticable. I think this foundation is a good all rounder and you can just adapt the way you use it to find a method that works for you.


Revlon Photo Ready Foundation

This is another foundation that I'm quite a fan of. Again, like Loreal True Match, I suspect that this is a foundation Revlon have brought out to try and create a dupe of MACs Studio Fix Fluid - as it just seems so similar. I would say it is of comparable quality to Studio Fix and I'm not sure which edges it as the better/worst.. Anyways, I really like this one! It has good coverage, lasts a while (but nowhere near as long as Loreal True Match!!), and when I fancy a change from my faves this is the one I turn to. As well as this, although I've never tried it, apparently it is formulated to look super perfect in photos compared to other foundations :-) and that's always a winner!


MAC Select Foundation

I'm not a particular fan of MAC Select Foundation as I want a medium/full coverage foundation that gives me a matte finish - this is the complete opposite! It gives low coverage with a super sheer finish - which just makes me look completely oily and ridiculous! I sometimes mix it with Studio Fix or True Match to sheer and thin out those relatively thicker foundations - but other than that my Select foundation doesn't get used too much. I reckon it'd be better suited for people with normal/dry skin who have pretty perfect skin with no imperfections that they want to mask.


MAC ProLongwear Foundation

MAC Prolongwear is another foundation that is just too low coverage for me. I did try and build up coverage, but it took so much product and in the end I felt like I had about 3 inches of makeup on! Never a good thing! As I didn't particularly apply this product in the way MAC intended, it definitely didn't live up to its name as Prolongwear - it only lasted 5ish hours and I just wasn't impressed with it at all. However my friend Amy recommends using MAC Prolongwear Concealer as a foundation as it lasts ages and provides good coverage - so I think I might try that! :-)

Clinique Superbalanced Makeup

This was my first ever high end foundation and I was oh so disappointed with it. I explained my skin type and problems to the Clinique lady and she recommended this to me, but all it did was make my skin super oily for days after using it and bring me out in spots :-( Plus when I actually did wear it it just enhanced my dry bits by a ridiculous amount - it made my skin literally look AWFUL! Never to be used again!


Right girlies, that's it for me and my foundation views! I hope I've helped you guys in making decisions on your next foundation purchase.

Let me know if you have any questions with regards anything I've said :-)

Lots of love always

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