My Foundation Drawer Part 1

Foundations Part1

This is the 2nd part in my Muji Drawers series, click to see the Lip Crayon Drawer. In this drawer I have my most used bases & a few primers. I don’t always wear foundation on a daily basis or any base for that matter, so often this drawer gets a little neglected. Let me know if you use any of the products mentioned in this post, or have any foundation recomendations.

Foundations Part 1

Pixi Illuminating Tint & Conceal – This is a great two in one product. You get a light coverage tinted moisturiser which gives your skin a beautiful illuminating glow. Its easy to blend and is the perfect base for the warmer months. Not heavy but makes your skin look fresh, even and healthy. You also get a concealer in the lid, this needs a little blending but if you take your time to work it in to the skin you will get a good coverage and it lasts all day. This is good at covering blemishes & redness too. I like that the two products are in one handy tube – ideal for travel.

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB* – I like my base to give a light coverage and provide a natural touch of colour so my complexion looks bright & even. This BB Cream gives me exactly that, it has a lovely creamy consistency which I found very easy to blend, I did lightly powder but I don’t think thats 100% necessary. This BB Cream covers all bases it provides a SPF30, protects against free radicals, conceals imperfections & contains hyluronic acid for all day hydration. So you’re getting a lovely BB Cream with the added skincare benefits which Asian brands are renowned for. I am a huge fan of this & the natural fresh finish it gives my skin. If you haven’t already you need to try this out!

The Body Shop InstaBlur – This is one of the only primers I like & my only complaint is that it doesn’t come in a large enough tube! This does it all its 12 hour shine controlling, Pore smoothing, Blemish hiding, Complexion unifying and Makeup Extending. It instantly smooths skin and gives you a lovely base for your foundation. This makes my foundation look flawless and last all day / night. My skin doesn’t go greasy / oily and it doesn’t break down throughout the day. The product is quite an unusual consistency, I like to apply it with my fingers & find this works well for me.  I can’t get enough of this and I even went back & bought the under eye primer too.

Foundation Drawer

Kiehl’s Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream – OMG this is the BB Cream of my dreams, It gives my skin an even coverage and It gives you Broad Spectrum SPF50 protection which makes me very happy. If you like a light to medium coverage that looks natural and radiant with excellent sun protection then you will love this BB Cream. Its simple but its all I need in a base and I’m a massive fan. I need the full size of this ASAP!

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser –  I’m not 100% in love with this, I’m not exactly sure what I don’t like about it. It might be that its quite thick compared to other tinted moisturisers & BB Creams. It looks really nice just after I apply it but I don’t think it wears well on my oily skin. I much prefer the Ginvera & the Kiehl’s BB Creams. This needs to be passed along.

My Foundation Collection

GOSH Prime’n Refresh –  This is a great hydrating eye primer, you apply the product straight from the tube to your eye area. It has three metal roller balls that glide the product over the skin, they’re also cooling on the skin and help de-puff your under area too . I do pat the product in with my finger after applying it, as I find it helps it absorb evenly, you can apply this on your eyelids & right up to the brow bone as well as under the eye too. It helps illuminate the area as well as keep makeup in place all day. I love that it has an illuminating quality too it as well as it being a primer, I think thats a great idea & I also find this is hydrating enough to use alone without applying a separate eye cream. I am so pleased I bought this & use it whenever I wear makeup.

Vichy Idealia Eye Cream – This has a really cool applicator, It’s a silicone spatula & the product comes out of a little hole in the centre. It makes applying the eye cream hygienic and really easy. This cream has quite a thick creamy consistency, so if you’re looking for a really nourishing hydrating eye cream then this is for you. It does take a couple of minutes to absorb but once it has you’re left with smooth, hydrated and brighter looking skin. This cream helps reduce the signs of fatigue as it contains caffeine & is enriched with instant illuminators and a combination of DRM-Bright complex and vitaminB3. I think it has helped reduce puffiness and dark circles too. It wears well under concealer & foundation, although the formula is on the heavy side it isn’t greasy. I really like this as part of my morning routine & have used hardly any product even though I have been using it for well over a month now. If you’re on the hunt for a new eye cream give this a go!

Germaine de Capuccini Eternal Wear Foundation  – I love this foundation, I purchased it from my local spa after having a facial. It has a medium coverage and gives my skin the smoothest finish. It’s a great foundation for the summer as it has SPF30 and is really lightweight. It wears all day on without going patchy or oxidising. The only downside is I think it has been discontinued, so I won’t go on about how wonderful it is.

The rest of the foundations in the drawer will be in Part 2 otherwise this post will be too long. So keep an eye of for Part 2 next week. Let me know if you have used any of the products mentioned or if you have any primer / foundation recommendations. I love trying new ones out.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

 

 

5 From Benefit Cosmetics

5 from Benefit

I think Benefit is the brand I have used for the longest time (well over 15 years), I always have multiple products from them on the go at any one time. When I think of Benefit I think girly, quirky, quality and of course the best packaging in the beauty industry. Oh & no one does a product launch quite as well as benefit.

5 products from Benefit

There are so many products I could talk about from Benefit but I have narrowed it down to the products I reach for most often from my collection.

Boiing Concealer £17.50 – I have repurchased this so many times,This stuff covers imperfections like a hero! I’ve used it for years and can always rely on  it to cover redness, blemishes and dark spots. It stays in place a heck of a long time, this stuff is heavy-duty. It’s a full coverage concealer but it doesn’t look heavy on the skin, you can blend it in so it looks even and not cakey at all. The formula is creamy and I find it works best if applied to the skin with your finger and blended out with a brush. A little goes a long way so start with a small amount and build up if you need too. It’s available in 5 shades.

Moon Beam – Is a gorgeous golden apricot liquid highlighter, I either mix a few drops in with my foundation for more of a radiant finish or blend a little on to my cheek bones / brow bone for a pretty beachy glow. Moon Beam gives the skin a subtle iridescent glow. I have had my bottle for years (probably a little too long) but it lasts a really long time. Do you prefer Moon Beam or High Beam?

Stay Don’t Stray Primer £20.50 – This is a dual action eye primer so not only will it keep your eyeshadow in place but you can use it under the eye to keep your concealer put all day long and it works a treat. It gives my eyelids an even colour & is the perfect base on which to apply eyeshadow. Its love.

The newest addition to the Benefit line up is Roller Lash* £19.50 – I was always a fan of Bad Gal until this came along and now I’m a Roller Lash girl forever. Back in January I wrote all about the launch of Roller Lash if you’d like to have a peek. In a nutshell this is a mascara that will hold a curl, give your lashes definition and make them look fluttery. You will get no clumping, crispy lashes or flaky fall down throughout the day. I think with all Benefit mascara’s you either love them or hate them but I think this is a great addition to their mascara line up & it’s totally different to Bad Gal & They’re Real so if you haven’t already then give it a go.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

Cheeky Sweet Spot Blush Tin £29.50. I’m a little sorry for including this as it was a Christmas limited edition and not available anymore, although all but one of the Box O’ Powders are still available to buy individually. This collection includes

Dandelion 4g – Ballerina pink brightening face powder with a hint of shimmer, Bella Bamba 5g – Watermelon pink laced with shimmering gold undertones, Sugarbomb 6g – 4 beautiful shimmering shades of peach, soft plum, pink and rose that swirl together to create a gorgeous blush, Hoola 5g – Matte bronzer perfect for a natural sun kissed look, Coralista 5g – Warm coral blush, Rockateur 5g – Rose gold highlighting blush and Watt’s Up! 1.5g – A delicate champagne glow that will give your cheeks a luminous glow. So a great mix of shades and finishes. I absolutely love the Benefit Box Blushes and think although quite expensive they last a very long time and the colour pay off and quality is worth every penny.

Let me know what your favourite Benefit Box O’Powder is & if you managed to snap up one of these tins at Christmas.

Benefit Box Blushes Swatches

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own

InStyle Best Beauty Buys 2015

InStyle Magazines Best Beauty Buys of 2015

InStyle Magazine this year have partnered with John Lewis to announce their Best Beauty Buys of 2015. Judged by a panel of 105 industry experts, which included Liz Earl, Leighton Denny, Charlotte Tilbury and Philip Kinglsey. This extensive panel of experts know the ins & outs of all things beauty and most importantly know what is worth spending your hard earned money on. So these awards are a great way of showcasing the products that really work and it gives us all a beauty bible to the best products on the market today.

The InStyle Best Beauty Buys of 2015 are split into four categories including skin, makeup, body and hair so it covers all bases. There are so many wonderful brands and products amongst this years winners. A few brands I know & love but also one or two that I have never tried anything from, so I have enjoyed reading about all the winning products & have made a mental note of a few that I am eager to try.

Instyle Best Beauty Buys 2015

John Lewis were kind enough to send me a selection this years InStyle Best Beauty Buys so I can put them to the test & see if I think they’re worth their crowns. My hamper included these 13 award winning products,

Origins Super Spot Remover* – BEST SPOT TREATMENT 

Origins No Puffery Cooling Roll on for Puffy Eyes* – BEST EYE DE PUFFER 

Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector* – BEST AGE SPOT TREATMENT

Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector* – BEST FOR DARK CIRCLES

Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask* – BEST HYDRATING MASK

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant* – BEST FACIAL EXFOLIATOR

Organic Pharmacy Discovery / Travel KitBEST ECO / ORGANIC RANGE 

Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil* – BEST BODY OIL 

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash– BEST SHOWER GEL

Lancome Hypnose Mascara*BEST MASCARA

Guerlain Terracotta Moisturising Bronzing Powder* – BEST BRONZER

bareMinerals Mineral Veil Finishing Powder* – BEST MINERAL BASE

Laura Mercier Mineral Foundation Primer* – BEST PRIMER

InStyle Best Beauty Buys 2015 Winners

I simply can’t wait to try the beautiful Guerlain Bronzer, even the packaging is stunning. The Organic Pharmacy is also a brand I’m looking for trying for the first time. Keep your eyes peeled for reviews of all these products over the next few weeks & please let me know if you’ve used any of the products in this post & if you think they deserve their awards.

So thats a brief look at a fraction of the InStyle Best Beauty Buys 2015 winners that were in my hamper. As I said there were 104 awards handed out, to see the full list pick up the March issue of InStyle magazine or visit www.instyle.co.uk

You can also download the InStyle Best Beauty Buys 2015 for 79p

*Thank you to John Lewis who kindly sent this selection of winning products from the InStyle Best Beauty Buys 2015.

5 From Collection Cosmetics

5 products from Collection

I thought I would start a new series on the old blog & over the next few weeks share with you 5 products from different brands. For week 1 I have picked Collection, I do own more than 5 products from this brand but these are the 5 products I have picked to share with you. Collection or Collection 2000 as they used to be known is a very affordable brand & I know most people know them for their Lasting Perfection Concealer & I must be the only person that doesn’t get on very well with that product. So that isn’t in my roundup.

Collection Cream Puff Lip Cream –  In Cotton Candy. The colour is a pretty dusky rose pink which applies evenly and creamy on the lips. It feels moisturising & it dries to a velvet matte finish. Despite this being a matte finish it doesn’t feel drying at all & wears off the lips evenly after a few hours. Its pretty, cheap & it smells so good! Thats 3 reasons you should buy it, if you haven’t already.

Collection Work The Colour Lip Butter – In Perfect Plum  This plum shade is really vibrant and is so easy to apply. I like that its not overly glossy and the formula doesn’t feel slippery or greasy on the lips. It wears really well on me & I think these are my favourite budget lip crayons, so affordable. I just hope they release a few more shades.

Collection 2000 Blush in the shade Trouble – This is a pretty pink blush with a slight shimmer. It gives your cheeks a flushed look and I love to wear it as a Summer blush. The blush is soft and the power feels very fine. I think it looks pretty on me when I have a hint of a tan. Have you tried any other Collection Blushes? I’d like to buy a few more if you have any recommendations.

Collection Lip Butter and Cream Puff Swatches

Collection Big Fake Curves Mascara – I think we need to address the size of the brush first, its enormous & a very odd shape too. I found it quite hard to use at first & often it ended in me poking my eye (very painful). If you persevere its actually a pretty decent mascara. The formula is quite dry but it was easy to apply and made my lashes look long, full and fluttery. After a full day wearing this there was a a little flaking under my eye but nothing that would stop me using it. If you like big brushes that coat each individual lash to give you voluminous lashes then give this mascara a go.

Eyes Uncovered Nude Bronze Palette – I’m a neutral palette ADDICT (which I have confessed on here many times)! This Nude Bronze palette is beautiful and for an affordable brand the colours are pigmented and very good quality. I have swatched the 6 colours below & all apart from the first swatch (which is a very first light cream shade) have shown up pigmented and even. All the shadows have some shimmer in them, so if you want a more matte palette then the Nude Palette might be the one for you. The colours are easy to blend & have a little fall out but nothing that tapping your brush off won’t solve.

All three of these new palettes retail at £3.99 & I think that’s incredibly good value for money. If you have bought any of them let me know what one you went for & how you’re getting on with it.

Collection Eyes Uncovered Bronze Nude Palette

Let me know what products you would recommend I try next from this brand & let me know if you have tried any of the products I’ve mentioned.