Hey guys! Today's review is going to be in the form of a video - I'm testing out the L'Oreal Genius True Match, a foundation that claims to be a primer, foundation, concealer, and setting powder all in one. It's quick, I'll give it that. Check it out in my latest video!
All in all, I found this foundation to be perfect for when you're just looking for a quick, good-coverage foundation to wear on an everyday basis. For more important events and occasions, I would prefer my full face routine and a normal foundation, but this is a really good, affordable and quick option for when I'm heading out to run errands or for a quick bite to eat.
In
Flawless Finish Fluide Foundation,
Foundation
Foundation Review Series: Laura Mercier Flawless Finish Fluide
Ladies, it's high time I added to my Foundation Review Series, and this time I have a new offering from the ever amazing Laura Mercier (my absolute favourite for base products) - the Flawless Finish foundation.
New-age foundations are all the rage nowadays, and Laura Mercier is the latest to hop aboard this trend. So let's get right into the review, shall we?
Product
As I mentioned before, new-age foundations are foundations that have a different texture from regular foundations - they're lighter and yet offer equal or more coverage, they are generally very fluid, and they dry down to a velvety finish on the skin. This foundation is slightly thicker than, say, the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet, but still definitely has that fluid texture. According to Laura Mercier, the light texture is a bi-phase, oil-free formula that mixes colour pigments together with 'reflective water' to give you both lightweight and true-to-colour coverage.
Packaging
I have to say, I'm not a fan of the packaging on this product. I had mine sitting in a drawer for a couple of weeks before I finally took it out to trial, and whilst it looks sleek on the outside, once I opened the screw cap, I saw that the product had leaked all over the thin spout-style dispenser and into the cap. What's more, my bottle won't dispense the foundation unless I bang it on the countertop.
Performance
What I love about this foundation is how well it sits on the skin - I am currently experiencing peeling skin from a laser treatment, which means that I'm having trouble with a lot of foundations separating and seeping into the 'cracks' and flakes in the skin, especially since my skin does get oily throughout the day. This one sits well on my skin without separating; I like to apply it with my fingers (as with all the new-age foundations that I use) as it helps the product blend into the skin and sit on the skin better. Plus, I find that these lightweight foundations are very quickly absorbed into foundation brushes and sponges, so I prefer my fingers. Remember to always shake the bottle vigorously before you start using the product.
Here's a bad photo of the foundation after it's been on my skin for about 4 hours. My chin is a problem area for me at the moment - I touch it a lot, there are bumps and acne, and it gets oily. As you can see, the foundation has stayed put on the rest of my face, but it's looking a little off on my chin area. I'll upload better photos soon!
The product also lasts very long on the skin, and provides a nice medium-to-full coverage. If you're oily, it starts off looking very velvety and matte on the skin, but as your skin produces oil throughout the day, it has decent oil control (if you're very oily, you will probably need a touch up with some powder) and ends up looking quite luminous. It can be layered to provide more coverage, but be careful not to layer too much because it will start balling up underneath your fingers if you do.
I would rate this product a 3.5/5 - I like the coverage and finish, the lasting power and oil control is okay, and I'm not a fan of the packaging. I would recommend this foundation for combination to oily skins.
Product
As I mentioned before, new-age foundations are foundations that have a different texture from regular foundations - they're lighter and yet offer equal or more coverage, they are generally very fluid, and they dry down to a velvety finish on the skin. This foundation is slightly thicker than, say, the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet, but still definitely has that fluid texture. According to Laura Mercier, the light texture is a bi-phase, oil-free formula that mixes colour pigments together with 'reflective water' to give you both lightweight and true-to-colour coverage.
Packaging
I have to say, I'm not a fan of the packaging on this product. I had mine sitting in a drawer for a couple of weeks before I finally took it out to trial, and whilst it looks sleek on the outside, once I opened the screw cap, I saw that the product had leaked all over the thin spout-style dispenser and into the cap. What's more, my bottle won't dispense the foundation unless I bang it on the countertop.
Performance
What I love about this foundation is how well it sits on the skin - I am currently experiencing peeling skin from a laser treatment, which means that I'm having trouble with a lot of foundations separating and seeping into the 'cracks' and flakes in the skin, especially since my skin does get oily throughout the day. This one sits well on my skin without separating; I like to apply it with my fingers (as with all the new-age foundations that I use) as it helps the product blend into the skin and sit on the skin better. Plus, I find that these lightweight foundations are very quickly absorbed into foundation brushes and sponges, so I prefer my fingers. Remember to always shake the bottle vigorously before you start using the product.
The product also lasts very long on the skin, and provides a nice medium-to-full coverage. If you're oily, it starts off looking very velvety and matte on the skin, but as your skin produces oil throughout the day, it has decent oil control (if you're very oily, you will probably need a touch up with some powder) and ends up looking quite luminous. It can be layered to provide more coverage, but be careful not to layer too much because it will start balling up underneath your fingers if you do.
I would rate this product a 3.5/5 - I like the coverage and finish, the lasting power and oil control is okay, and I'm not a fan of the packaging. I would recommend this foundation for combination to oily skins.
A lot of people are confused about the BB cream trend and have a lot of questions. What is a BB Cream? Should I use a BB cream? How is a BB cream different from a foundation? Which is better, BB cream or foundation?
This post answers a few of those questions, and includes mini reviews of my favourite products, from both the BB cream and foundation families. Read on to find out more.
What is a BB Cream?
BB (a.k.a. blemish balm, and a host of other names since "blemish balm" was trademarked in Korea) cream was first formulated in Germany, and was used to treat the skin of patients who had just undergone surgery. BB cream is formulated with a host of skin-treating benefits, such as acne treatment, whitening, wrinkle treatment, sun protection, etc. The trend took off in a huge way in Asian countries (particularly Korea) and has started making waves in the Western cosmetics industry as well.
Should I use a BB cream?
Honestly, it's totally up to you. BB creams (generally) offer a bit more coverage than foundations, and almost always come with a generous amount of SPF. They are also thicker than most foundations, though less is needed compared to foundations when it comes to covering the skin. In my opinion, the skincare benefits of a BB cream compared to a foundation are negligible, so a BB cream is really not going to offer you that much more skin benefits compared to a foundation - it's mostly a marketing gimmick. So really what you want to do is compare the finish between a BB cream and a foundation to determine which one suits you and your needs best.
BB Cream Finish
BB creams tend to give your skin a more dewy, radiant finish. Because it was the Koreans who first caught on to BB creams, most formulations are very much oriented towards the Korean glowy skin trend. They are mostly quite full-coverage, providing a sort of all-in-one product, theoretically eliminating the need for concealer, sunscreen, or moisturiser.
Foundation Finish
Foundations offer you a lot more variety when it comes to finishes. They have sheerer formulations, matte ones, cream-to-powder, and so much more. Foundations tend to steer towards the more cakey side compared to BB creams (not all of them, mind you!) when they're full coverage, and if you're looking for something less cakey, you will need to use concealer to cover up any blemishes or dark circles.
At the end of the day, you need to listen to your skin's needs. If you live in a humid climate and/or have oily skin, you won't need a dewy finish foundation/BB cream. If you have lots of small imperfections that need covering, BB creams might work better for you because they contain more pigment and therefore give more coverage. Here's a more detailed list of the skin types that each type of base would cater to more adequately:
Foundation
Oily skin (go for mattifying foundations)
People who want a lighter texture in their base
People who like sheer coverage foundations (these look more natural)
BB Cream
Blemished skin
People who like dewy skin
Dry skin
My absolute favourites? They're all here!
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream - great coverage, about average thickness. A teeny bit ashy.
La Roche Posay Hydreane BB Cream - fantastic coverage, not too thick. Their two colours are lovely - one has a pink undertone and the other yellow, but both aren't overwhelming so they look really natural on the skin.
Shiseido Perfect Hydrating BB Cream - a lovely light formulation with medium coverage. Great for those with oily skin because this is quite light.
Diorsnow BB Cream - fantastic coverage and a great glowing finish. Also not too thick.
Dr Jart+ Black Label BB Cream - this one has less coverage but is quite light, but is quite 'wet' on the skin. It gives the skin such a beautiful glow though!
Hera Age Away Foundation - I love this because it gives the skin a boost in radiance, yet doesn't feel too sticky or wet on the skin.
Make Up For Ever HD Foundation - this is a fantastic one because it is really light and you don't have to use a lot, but it does cover imperfections well. Looks fantastic on camera.
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation - this one has decent oil control and coverage, and gives the skin a healthy look.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation - this product really gives the skin a lovely glow, and despite its name, it actually is semi-matte, so it's great for humid climates/oily skin.
Diorskin Nude Foundation - I love this one because it's not dewy or sticky, but it gives the skin a glow, and the coverage is quite decent.
Do you have a favourite? Which do you prefer - BB cream or foundation?
What is a BB Cream?
BB (a.k.a. blemish balm, and a host of other names since "blemish balm" was trademarked in Korea) cream was first formulated in Germany, and was used to treat the skin of patients who had just undergone surgery. BB cream is formulated with a host of skin-treating benefits, such as acne treatment, whitening, wrinkle treatment, sun protection, etc. The trend took off in a huge way in Asian countries (particularly Korea) and has started making waves in the Western cosmetics industry as well.
Should I use a BB cream?
Honestly, it's totally up to you. BB creams (generally) offer a bit more coverage than foundations, and almost always come with a generous amount of SPF. They are also thicker than most foundations, though less is needed compared to foundations when it comes to covering the skin. In my opinion, the skincare benefits of a BB cream compared to a foundation are negligible, so a BB cream is really not going to offer you that much more skin benefits compared to a foundation - it's mostly a marketing gimmick. So really what you want to do is compare the finish between a BB cream and a foundation to determine which one suits you and your needs best.
BB Cream Finish
BB creams tend to give your skin a more dewy, radiant finish. Because it was the Koreans who first caught on to BB creams, most formulations are very much oriented towards the Korean glowy skin trend. They are mostly quite full-coverage, providing a sort of all-in-one product, theoretically eliminating the need for concealer, sunscreen, or moisturiser.
Foundation Finish
Foundations offer you a lot more variety when it comes to finishes. They have sheerer formulations, matte ones, cream-to-powder, and so much more. Foundations tend to steer towards the more cakey side compared to BB creams (not all of them, mind you!) when they're full coverage, and if you're looking for something less cakey, you will need to use concealer to cover up any blemishes or dark circles.
At the end of the day, you need to listen to your skin's needs. If you live in a humid climate and/or have oily skin, you won't need a dewy finish foundation/BB cream. If you have lots of small imperfections that need covering, BB creams might work better for you because they contain more pigment and therefore give more coverage. Here's a more detailed list of the skin types that each type of base would cater to more adequately:
Foundation
Oily skin (go for mattifying foundations)
People who want a lighter texture in their base
People who like sheer coverage foundations (these look more natural)
BB Cream
Blemished skin
People who like dewy skin
Dry skin
My absolute favourites? They're all here!
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream - great coverage, about average thickness. A teeny bit ashy.
La Roche Posay Hydreane BB Cream - fantastic coverage, not too thick. Their two colours are lovely - one has a pink undertone and the other yellow, but both aren't overwhelming so they look really natural on the skin.
Shiseido Perfect Hydrating BB Cream - a lovely light formulation with medium coverage. Great for those with oily skin because this is quite light.
Diorsnow BB Cream - fantastic coverage and a great glowing finish. Also not too thick.
Dr Jart+ Black Label BB Cream - this one has less coverage but is quite light, but is quite 'wet' on the skin. It gives the skin such a beautiful glow though!
Hera Age Away Foundation - I love this because it gives the skin a boost in radiance, yet doesn't feel too sticky or wet on the skin.
Make Up For Ever HD Foundation - this is a fantastic one because it is really light and you don't have to use a lot, but it does cover imperfections well. Looks fantastic on camera.
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation - this one has decent oil control and coverage, and gives the skin a healthy look.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation - this product really gives the skin a lovely glow, and despite its name, it actually is semi-matte, so it's great for humid climates/oily skin.
Diorskin Nude Foundation - I love this one because it's not dewy or sticky, but it gives the skin a glow, and the coverage is quite decent.
Do you have a favourite? Which do you prefer - BB cream or foundation?
It's been a while since I've done a Foundation Review, but I am back with a vengeance, and kicking things off for this next batch of foundations is Shu Uemura's latest release - the Lightbulb UV Compact Foundation.
If you like glowing finish foundations or just Shu Uemura in general, you might have noticed the release of their Lightbulb Liquid Foundation last year - a foundation formulated to give you glowing skin the way you would if your face was lit by a soft lightbulb. The foundation comes packaged along with a sponge applicator (much like the BeautyBlender, except specially formulated for the Lightbulb foundation's texture) and was a huge success.
This year, Shu Uemura has come up with an ingenious sister product - the Lightbulb UV Compact Foundation. This is the Lightbulb foundation in powder form, and is perfect for use in our humid climate.
Packaging
I love the sleek, polished look of the egg-like compact that houses this foundation. It is made of plastic with a glossy finish, and the foundation plate lifts open to reveal Shu Uemura's special two-sided applicator. Yes, this foundation also comes with its own applicator, specially formulated for the foundation's texture and finish.
When you purchase, you get a refillable compact, a powder refill, and a sponge.
When you purchase, you get a refillable compact, a powder refill, and a sponge.
One side of the sponge is for application - swirl the sponge into the product, and then apply it in swiping motions; and the other side is to buff the product out to enhance the glow - buff in circular motions on the cheeks, and in zig-zag motions on the forehead, nose and chin.
Product
This compact comes in 16 shades - 2 more than the liquid - so they'll match most skin tones. The powder formulation on this foundation is very fine, so when applied it almost feels like a cream. It spreads onto the skin easily with the help of the applicator, but I've also tried and enjoyed using a buffing brush to apply it - I feel like you get a little more coverage with a buffing brush, though the finish isn't as 'glowy'. Apply with the packaged applicator, and you'll see a lovely, glowing finish.
The powder also contains an SPF of 30++, which is great, but as always, I encourage you to always apply your own sun protection, because you can't get enough sun protection from a foundation.
The powder also contains an SPF of 30++, which is great, but as always, I encourage you to always apply your own sun protection, because you can't get enough sun protection from a foundation.
Performance
I love that even though this is a powder texture foundation, it still gives me a luminous glow, as if I was wearing a liquid foundation. It feels really light and comfortable on the skin, and I especially appreciate that because liquid foundations (which are the type of foundation I normally use) can be quite thick and feel really sticky to the touch unless I set them with a powder. This lasts quite long on my skin, and oil only starts to show through at the end of the day (around 4pm).
One word of warning - make sure that your skincare/sunscreen has completely absorbed into your skin before applying this foundation. Otherwise, this foundation will ball up and crease wherever your skin is a bit wet and sticky from product.
Price
The Shu Uemura The Lightbulb UV Compact Foundation has been launched and is on counter now. It retails for RM180.
Price
The Shu Uemura The Lightbulb UV Compact Foundation has been launched and is on counter now. It retails for RM180.
Your skin is a very delicate thing, and it needs constant care in order for it to maintain its youth and elasticity. I've put together a little hit-list of products that I personally think are pretty amazing when you want that youthful glow to your skin, both natural and cosmetic :)
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream Moisturiser
I participated in a 4-week challenge with the Olay Micro-Sculpting Cream - Olay says women who participate in this trial will see '4 years of wrinkles and lines reduced in 4 weeks'. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how many wrinkles I've developed in the past 4 years, so I'm not the best judge of the performance of this product as far as anti-aging goes. I can say though, that this has made my skin feel firmer, particularly in the neck area. Did you know that the hands and the neck are the first places on your body to show signs of ageing? Needless to say, I've been slathering this on my neck area every night and I love how it sinks quickly into the skin. It has a slightly perfumed smell, not something I'm particularly fond of but not something that bothers me, either. If you're sensitive to smells, you might want to go try this out before you buy. Otherwise, it's a fantastic little pot that comes at a total bargain for the results it gives.
Bobbi Brown Luminous Moisturising Treatment Foundation
This is a fabulous foundation with an amazing amount of glow! I am an NW25 in MAC foundations, and received the colour 'Sand'. It was a teensy bit dark for my skin tone but I found that it worked pretty okay for me anyway. It didn't oxidise on my skin at all, but please note that this foundation works best on dry skins. It was formulated with Light Reflecting Technology and works to maintain the skin's moisture barrier for a more smooth, firm, and lifted feel to the skin. I am completely in love with this despite the fact that I have combination skin - I think all it needs is a primer and some powder, and it performs just as well as my other foundations. And I say this wearing it in humid Malaysian weather! See this in action in my latest RiRi Hearts MAC Fall tutorial.
Tom Ford Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust
Ah, Tom Ford. Easily one of my absolute favourite makeup brands. It is luxurious, and the best thing about it is, it works. This Skin Illuminator has made it to the top of my list of favourite highlighters, and I am dying to get my hands on a cooler, lighter colour. The shimmer in this liquid highlighter is understated, yet gives the skin the most gorgeous healthy, lit-from-within type glow. Light diffusing and reflecting pigments are great for more mature skins, because they reduce the appearance of wrinkles and get rid of any dullness, which can be a real issue with mature skins. This particular highlighter is so ideal because, as I mentioned above, its shimmer is so fine and muted, so it won't look like you painted glitter onto your face. It is phenomenal, and you just can't pile 'too much' on. It always looks amazing, and is lightweight enough so that you don't feel it on your skin. See it in action in my latest RiRi Hearts MAC Fall tutorial.
Mistral Lavender Hand Cream
I mentioned above that your hands are one of the first places on your body to show signs of aging. To slow the process, you need two things: SPF, and moisture. SPF prevents too much damage being done to the skin, and moisture helps to preserve skin cells. This Mistral Lavender Hand Cream, available at The Love Jars, is beautifully, naturally scented with the best lavender scent I've come across in a while. Their lavender scent is beautifully authentic, and soothes me when I apply this. I only use this at night because it can get a teeny bit greasy on the hands, but the result when I wake up the next morning is soft, plump skin.
A lot of us have fallen victim to lousy sales assistants or bad judgment, or (what I'm personally guilty of) online shopping - and gotten the wrong foundation colour. More likely than not, those perfectly good foundations are sitting at the bottom of a beauty cupboard or drawer somewhere, gathering dust.
I've found a method that not only corrects this foundation colour to suit your skin tone, it also gives your skin a lovely glow and does not require the further purchase of another foundation! Meet my new glowy-skin combo:
I received the Benefit Hello Flawless foundation to review a little while back, and while it was beautiful and glowy, it was also a tad too light for my skin tone. Top that off with a move to sunny Malaysia and a holiday to even-sunnier Boracay, and you have a foundation that does not work on my skin. To illustrate:
On the left half of my face I have applied the foundation, and as you can see, it looks a little chalky and I look kind of sick. There is no dimension or life to my face at all, as tends to happen when one applies a foundation that is a couple of shades too light for their skin.
I came upon this method completely by chance, because a while back, I'd purchased a highlighter from Becca (their cult-favourite Shimmering Skin Perfector) in a shade too dark for my skin, upon the recommendation of someone who, in hindsight, didn't have a clue what she was going on about. Anyway, this liquid highlighter was a beautiful dark bronze colour, but I couldn't wear it at all because it didn't do anything to highlight my skin. I tried mixing it in with my usual foundations, but I found that they made me look a little muddy and dirty. That's when I came up with the idea of mixing it into a foundation that was a lighter colour than my skin, to see what the result was. Here are a couple of swatches on my hand to show you what became of my little experiment:
As you can see, the foundation definitely darkened a little with the addition of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector. All that was left was to try it on my skin:
I mixed equal parts of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector and the Benefit Hello Flawless, and applied it to my skin. My skin looked much more dimensional, more glowy, and very much more healthy.
The benefits of mixing in a bronzed shimmer as opposed to a darker foundation colour?
The foundation was sheered out by the Becca SSP, so my skin looked much more natural. The shimmer also helped to highlight my face and give the illusion of more vibrant, glowing skin. The shimmer also reflected the light really well, which meant my unsightly bumps and small flaws were well hidden.
However, I wouldn't recommend this method for people with acne and acne scars, as well as pigmentation, because the foundation was quite sheer and didn't cover my acne scars. I am quite patient with makeup and will spend the time spot concealing when I have time to spare, but if you're a slap-and-dash kind of person then I would recommend finding the right colour, medium coverage foundation to do the job.
I hope you found this post helpful! x
I've found a method that not only corrects this foundation colour to suit your skin tone, it also gives your skin a lovely glow and does not require the further purchase of another foundation! Meet my new glowy-skin combo:
I received the Benefit Hello Flawless foundation to review a little while back, and while it was beautiful and glowy, it was also a tad too light for my skin tone. Top that off with a move to sunny Malaysia and a holiday to even-sunnier Boracay, and you have a foundation that does not work on my skin. To illustrate:
On the left half of my face I have applied the foundation, and as you can see, it looks a little chalky and I look kind of sick. There is no dimension or life to my face at all, as tends to happen when one applies a foundation that is a couple of shades too light for their skin.
I came upon this method completely by chance, because a while back, I'd purchased a highlighter from Becca (their cult-favourite Shimmering Skin Perfector) in a shade too dark for my skin, upon the recommendation of someone who, in hindsight, didn't have a clue what she was going on about. Anyway, this liquid highlighter was a beautiful dark bronze colour, but I couldn't wear it at all because it didn't do anything to highlight my skin. I tried mixing it in with my usual foundations, but I found that they made me look a little muddy and dirty. That's when I came up with the idea of mixing it into a foundation that was a lighter colour than my skin, to see what the result was. Here are a couple of swatches on my hand to show you what became of my little experiment:
Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation in Ivory (I'm Pure 4 Sure)
Side by side with the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Topaz
The two mixed together in a swatch, on the far left
As you can see, the foundation definitely darkened a little with the addition of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector. All that was left was to try it on my skin:
Without Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector
With Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector mixed into the foundation
I mixed equal parts of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector and the Benefit Hello Flawless, and applied it to my skin. My skin looked much more dimensional, more glowy, and very much more healthy.
The benefits of mixing in a bronzed shimmer as opposed to a darker foundation colour?
The foundation was sheered out by the Becca SSP, so my skin looked much more natural. The shimmer also helped to highlight my face and give the illusion of more vibrant, glowing skin. The shimmer also reflected the light really well, which meant my unsightly bumps and small flaws were well hidden.
However, I wouldn't recommend this method for people with acne and acne scars, as well as pigmentation, because the foundation was quite sheer and didn't cover my acne scars. I am quite patient with makeup and will spend the time spot concealing when I have time to spare, but if you're a slap-and-dash kind of person then I would recommend finding the right colour, medium coverage foundation to do the job.
I hope you found this post helpful! x
There has been an insurgence of a brand new formulation of foundations - light, watery in texture, and generously glowy on the skin. Today, I bring you a review of one such foundation, and one that has been fast gaining a strong market presence worldwide - the Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup.
Packaging
Sturdy, semi-opaque plastic, with a hygienic pump-applicator. The bottle actually looks a little bit like frosted glass, which is cute. One bottle carries 30mL of product.
Product
As mentioned earlier, this foundation is quite watery and light, and feels almost weightless on the skin. It is oil-free, so very well-suited to my fellow oily-skinned beauties. If you have dry skin, I recommend moisturising well before applying this foundation.
I am using the shade Ivory (I'm Pure 4 Sure), and this is a tiny bit light for my NW20 skin in the summer, but because it is so sheer, I can get away with it easily.
Performance
If you're looking for a foundation that gives you a lovely glow, and brightens and evens out your skin tone, then this is perfect.
Applied with fingers
Applied with a foundation brush
As you can see in the photos above, there is a definite brightness and a glow about the skin, but without making it look greasy or oily. Oil control is decent, though if you are particularly oily, I would suggest powdering your T-zone.
The coverage on this foundation is buildable - I have some acne spots around my cheeks and added an extra layer of foundation easily. It blends so beautifully and easily into the skin, especially when applied with fingers (my favourite way of applying this foundation)
I did find that when my skin was a little dry, and in areas that were a little bumpy on my skin, that this foundation tended to highlight these flaws. Therefore, I would suggest applying a primer before using this foundation if you have bumpy skin, and to moisturise if you have dry skin.
Overall, I think this is a great everyday foundation. It provides good coverage, and yet is so light that you feel almost nothing on the skin, and is so comfortable to wear. It is also a great pick-me-up in the mornings because it brings a beautiful radiance to your skin. If you're a fan of this type of foundation (think Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or Estee Lauder Double Wear Light), then definitely drop by your nearest Benefit counter to check these out.
This product was sent for the purposes of review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.
You may remember my first ever trial and review of a CC (colour-correcting) cream - the Chanel CC Cream - which I found to be slightly underwhelming. CC cream has become a big thing in Asia, and is just making its way onto Australian shores in the form of the L'Oreal Paris Nude Magique CC Cream.
Today I review this CC cream for you all, so settle into your seats, and let's get on with the show :)
Packaging
L'Oreal has packaged this cream in a tube almost identical to their original Nude Magique BB Cream, with some green gradient accents here and there, which I will explain later on in this post. The dispenser is exactly the same as the BB cream's - a small syringe-like tube opening.
Product
The Nude Magique CC Cream aims to correct and conceal redness in your skin, and as such comes with a green tint - to counteract the redness in the skin - hence the green accents in the packaging. The product itself is reminiscent of the Nude Magique BB cream - the light, liquid texture, the micro-beads, the whitish formula that changes colour when rubbed into the skin.
The formula comes in one standard colour which is supposed to match your skin tone once applied. I found that this was slightly dark for my NW20-ish skin, though it wasn't too obvious. This also leans quite strongly on the warm side.
Performance
I actually really like this CC cream. The very slight colour mismatch actually gives me a little bit of warmth, and the finish is a beautiful dewy texture.
Applied with a brush
Applied with fingers
I love the coverage of this CC cream. It provides medium coverage, and covers my pores and acne quite well. I recommend applying it with fingers because a little body heat really helps the product sink into the skin and create a beautiful glowing skin.
It lasts for hours on the skin without melting off, fading away, or sinking into fine lines or crevices on the face. It also does a great job at neutralising redness - the areas around the acne spots that you can see in the pictures above were quite obviously red and spread over a pretty wide area, but in the picture above, the redness has been concealed in most areas.
Overall, I think this is a fantastic effort from L'Oreal Paris. I love the texture, lasting power, coverage and anti-redness qualities in this CC cream, and how (relatively) affordable it is as well.
The L'Oreal Paris Nude Magique Anti-Redness CC Cream is available now and retails for AUD 26.95 per 30mL tube.
Something about makeup application that I've been noticing a lot recently (and I'm not sure if this was intentional or not), is extremely mattified, cakey, leathery-looking skin that people sport post-foundation. As I just mentioned, I'm not sure if this is was intentional, but I wanted to share some tips on foundation application, and how to maintain your skin's glow (or to fake it!) after applying your foundation.
The key to keeping that glow is to use cream products, and to powder as little as possible. Here's what I recommend:
Start with only a pea-sized amount of foundation. I know that this may seem counter-intuitive for those of us (yes, us!) who have less-than-perfect skin and want to cover up all our flaws, but really, the purpose of applying foundation is solely for evening out your skin tone. The cover-up should be done later. So only a tiny amount, people!
Next, you want to mix a highlighting cream in with your foundation. I am using the St Tropez Skin Illuminator in Violet here purely for illustrative purposes - you can use any cream highlighter you like. This thins out the foundation a little and helps your skin shine through. The illuminating particles in the highlighter also helps to reflect the light and create a nice glow.
To prevent caking and to ensure an even, full coverage, use foundation brush that has densely-packed bristles, and buff your foundation in in circular motions. This will help ensure that your foundation is properly buffed into your skin. The density of the brush's bristles will give you better coverage.
Next, spot-conceal in the areas that need more coverage. I am using the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Ivory. I also love the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-2 (not pictured). I have a spot-concealing video how-to here, if you would like to see how to do it.
Next, apply a cream blush. This one by Watercolour Cream Blush by Daniel Sandler is beautiful and lasts an extremely long time without moving or fading, which is perfect for this look. The video linked above will show you how to conceal acne scars on your cheeks using a cream blush. Daniel Sandler is a little difficult to get around these parts, but with the help of feelunique.com, you can access Daniel Sandler products, as well as a host of other UK based brands not readily available here in Australia.
Don't powder the skin if you can help it. Instead, use products like primers (to help your makeup stick to your skin and not melt off your face), and makeup setting sprays (to set your makeup without having to use powder). If you feel you really need the powder, only apply it to your T-zone.
Finally, set your makeup with a setting spray. This Etude House Nymph Aura Volumer Mist is my favourite, because it not only sets your makeup, but also adds a beautiful, natural glow to the skin without utilising shimmer particles, which means that it looks much more natural during the day, and under direct sunlight.
I hope you liked this post! x
Hello everyone! How is your Monday going? I am having a pretty good day - I started off pretty early and got so much done, PLUS it was a really good mail day :)
I am back with a brand new product to review for my foundation review series - the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser.
Laura Mercier's Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser is no stranger in the beauty world. This product is one of the best-known tinted moisturisers in the market, and one of the best-performing as well. Because of their widespread popularity and increasing market demand, Laura Mercier have introduced three new shades to their current line to provide an even better colour match for skin tones.
I hope my review helps you decide if this product is suitable for you and your skin type!
Packaging
Nice and sturdy with a screw on cap, this no-nonsense packaging is perfect for anyone with an 'on-the-go' lifestyle, who needs a practical product to tote around with them.
Product
Tinted moisturisers are usually quite heavy, and tend to be quite sticky on the skin, but I found this tinted moisturiser to be light and easy to spread onto my skin. The liquid is of a medium thickness, as is common with all tinted moisturisers. It was quite a pleasant surprise applying this with my fingers, and having the product spread onto my skin easily and quickly.
I received the new colour 'Blush' to trial, and I am very pleased to report that it is a great match for my NW20-ish skin. Here it is swatched on my arm:
Performance
This product felt great on my skin! It didn't feel at all heavy or cakey, and it was very comfortable to wear, even on hot, humid days. The coverage is quite sheer, so you will need a concealer if you have less-than-perfect skin. If you have problematic, acne-prone skin and need more coverage, I suggest using a foundation instead.
I found that applying this with a foundation brush was best suited to my needs, as it provided a little bit more coverage and evened out my skin tone beautifully.
One thing that my fellow oily-skinned beauties should note about this tinted moisturiser is that it is not mattifying! Though it is oil-free and therefore quite suited to my oily/combination skin, you shouldn't expect it to control the oil on your face as well as, say, the MUFE Mat Velvet Plus foundation. After a long, hot day out, this foundation stayed put on my face and my skin did not feel oily and slick, however there was a slight stickiness to it. I tried setting it with a powder the next day to see how it would hold up, and it did a wonderful job at eliminating that stickiness and keeping my skin nice and fresh, and slightly dewy, throughout the day.
Overall I say this is an amazing product, especially if you already have good skin or you want something easy to apply. With the added SPF and decent coverage, it makes the perfect 'slap-on' base product for quick trips out shopping or to run errands. I would recommend this for normal to oily/combination skin types, but if you have very oily skin, then stick to your mattifying foundations.
The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser retails at Laura Mercier counters throughout Australia for AUD 59 per 50mL tube.
These products were sent for the purposes of review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.
I am back with a brand new product to review for my foundation review series - the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser.
Laura Mercier's Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser is no stranger in the beauty world. This product is one of the best-known tinted moisturisers in the market, and one of the best-performing as well. Because of their widespread popularity and increasing market demand, Laura Mercier have introduced three new shades to their current line to provide an even better colour match for skin tones.
I hope my review helps you decide if this product is suitable for you and your skin type!
Packaging
Nice and sturdy with a screw on cap, this no-nonsense packaging is perfect for anyone with an 'on-the-go' lifestyle, who needs a practical product to tote around with them.
Product
Tinted moisturisers are usually quite heavy, and tend to be quite sticky on the skin, but I found this tinted moisturiser to be light and easy to spread onto my skin. The liquid is of a medium thickness, as is common with all tinted moisturisers. It was quite a pleasant surprise applying this with my fingers, and having the product spread onto my skin easily and quickly.
I received the new colour 'Blush' to trial, and I am very pleased to report that it is a great match for my NW20-ish skin. Here it is swatched on my arm:
Performance
This product felt great on my skin! It didn't feel at all heavy or cakey, and it was very comfortable to wear, even on hot, humid days. The coverage is quite sheer, so you will need a concealer if you have less-than-perfect skin. If you have problematic, acne-prone skin and need more coverage, I suggest using a foundation instead.
I found that applying this with a foundation brush was best suited to my needs, as it provided a little bit more coverage and evened out my skin tone beautifully.
Applied with a full-coverage foundation brush
Applied with fingers
One thing that my fellow oily-skinned beauties should note about this tinted moisturiser is that it is not mattifying! Though it is oil-free and therefore quite suited to my oily/combination skin, you shouldn't expect it to control the oil on your face as well as, say, the MUFE Mat Velvet Plus foundation. After a long, hot day out, this foundation stayed put on my face and my skin did not feel oily and slick, however there was a slight stickiness to it. I tried setting it with a powder the next day to see how it would hold up, and it did a wonderful job at eliminating that stickiness and keeping my skin nice and fresh, and slightly dewy, throughout the day.
Overall I say this is an amazing product, especially if you already have good skin or you want something easy to apply. With the added SPF and decent coverage, it makes the perfect 'slap-on' base product for quick trips out shopping or to run errands. I would recommend this for normal to oily/combination skin types, but if you have very oily skin, then stick to your mattifying foundations.
The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser retails at Laura Mercier counters throughout Australia for AUD 59 per 50mL tube.
These products were sent for the purposes of review and consideration in accordance with this site's Disclosure Policy.
Happy Chinese New Year, everyone! I hope you had a fabulous weekend, and I hope Monday is treating you well.
I am back with a brand new review for my Foundation Review Series, this is a review of the Dior Capture Totale Foundation.
The Dior Capture Totale foundation combines skincare and makeup to create a radiance-restoring serum/foundation, aimed at mature, aging skin. I was lucky enough to be able to trial my Mom's bottle, and here are my thoughts.
Packaging
This comes in a lovely frosted glass bottle with a dirty silver cap (not my favourite), and pump-action dispenser. The pump dispenser on Dior foundations are lovely and sturdy, and I absolutely love them.
Product
The Dior Capture Totale foundation has quite a thick formula, with a medium to full coverage. It imparts a glow on the skin meant to diffuse the light and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and imperfections, and utilises research on stem cells to smooth and firm the skin.
Performance
The finish of this foundation is absolutely beautiful. It has quite a full coverage, so if you prefer more natural-looking foundations then this isn't for you.
There is an obvious, gorgeous glow to this foundation, and yet it still manages to retain a sort of velvety semi-matte finish. This is one of the most beautiful finishes I have personally seen in a foundation, and I can see this quickly climbing to the top of my list of favourite foundations. I have tested this in both artificial and natural light, and my skin looks so beautiful in both. I think if this isn't applied carefully, it can look a little cakey on the skin, but if you get the application right, it is lovely.
One thing I don't like about this foundation is that it maintains a kind of moisturised, sticky finish, which I think Dior have formulated because this foundation is aimed at more mature skins, which tend to lean on the dry, dehydrated side. This would be perfect if you have drier skin in the winter. If you're not bothered by a tiny bit of stickiness to the face, however, this could definitely still be worn in the summer, though I wouldn't recommend it for the more hot and humid days.
Its lasting power is just as fantastic as its finish - an entire day walking around the city and the coverage and oil-control was almost as perfect as when I first applied it.
Overall, I think this is a fantastic foundation, especially for dry skins, or in the winter. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like full-coverage foundations, and live in a warm, humid climate. Otherwise, it is absolutely fantastic, and could totally be my HG foundation in the wintertime. Highly recommended!
I am back with a brand new review for my Foundation Review Series, this is a review of the Dior Capture Totale Foundation.
The Dior Capture Totale foundation combines skincare and makeup to create a radiance-restoring serum/foundation, aimed at mature, aging skin. I was lucky enough to be able to trial my Mom's bottle, and here are my thoughts.
Packaging
This comes in a lovely frosted glass bottle with a dirty silver cap (not my favourite), and pump-action dispenser. The pump dispenser on Dior foundations are lovely and sturdy, and I absolutely love them.
Product
The Dior Capture Totale foundation has quite a thick formula, with a medium to full coverage. It imparts a glow on the skin meant to diffuse the light and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and imperfections, and utilises research on stem cells to smooth and firm the skin.
Performance
The finish of this foundation is absolutely beautiful. It has quite a full coverage, so if you prefer more natural-looking foundations then this isn't for you.
Applied with a full-coverage foundation brush
Applied with fingers
There is an obvious, gorgeous glow to this foundation, and yet it still manages to retain a sort of velvety semi-matte finish. This is one of the most beautiful finishes I have personally seen in a foundation, and I can see this quickly climbing to the top of my list of favourite foundations. I have tested this in both artificial and natural light, and my skin looks so beautiful in both. I think if this isn't applied carefully, it can look a little cakey on the skin, but if you get the application right, it is lovely.
One thing I don't like about this foundation is that it maintains a kind of moisturised, sticky finish, which I think Dior have formulated because this foundation is aimed at more mature skins, which tend to lean on the dry, dehydrated side. This would be perfect if you have drier skin in the winter. If you're not bothered by a tiny bit of stickiness to the face, however, this could definitely still be worn in the summer, though I wouldn't recommend it for the more hot and humid days.
Its lasting power is just as fantastic as its finish - an entire day walking around the city and the coverage and oil-control was almost as perfect as when I first applied it.
Overall, I think this is a fantastic foundation, especially for dry skins, or in the winter. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like full-coverage foundations, and live in a warm, humid climate. Otherwise, it is absolutely fantastic, and could totally be my HG foundation in the wintertime. Highly recommended!
