Beauty Products I Wish Could be Invented!

As much as. I like playing with beauty products, there are some that I wish would hurry up and be invented!

Self Cleansing Make Up Brushes

I'm so lazy when it comes to cleaning my brushes, I have even been known to buy new ones rather than wash old ones!  I know, the shame!  I wish there was some easy way of cleaning them, a product a bit like the Bourjois Express Nail Removal where you just put you brush in a  container and whip it out and ta da - its clean!  How amazing would that be?!

Lip Gloss that doesn't stick to everything in sight!

I very much enjoy wearing gloss but what I don't enjoy is the transfer from lips to cups, hair and husbands!  It gets everywhere, even the ones that claim to be less sticky.  I'd love a long lasting gloss that gave that fabulous glossy look without sticking to everything I come into contact with.  I can but dream!

Skintone Adapting Foundation

Now I know we technically have this already with BB Creams but I am talking about medium / full coverage foundation which adapts throughout the year, according to your skintone and is a cinch to blend.  I get fed up of having several different foundations on the go throughout the year depending on my tan (or lack of it this Summer) and this would be amazing.  I suspect this will never become a possibility though, even if the technology exists, as companies make far more money selling us multiple shades, grr.

Hair Dye Magic Pills

I spend a fortune on my hair every 6 weeks to essentially look exactly the same!  As a dark haired girlie who has an addition to bleach, every six weeks I hotfoot it to the salon to get my roots re-tinted.  I find it annoying, expensive and rather dull sitting in a chair for 2 hours.  I'd love it if I could take a magic pill each day and my hair would turn the colour I wished with no regrowth.  Why can't someone invent this?! 

What do you wish you could invent?

 

Saturday Samples #5

Phew its Saturday, it feels like it has been a long week!

I've only tried a couple of products from my samples box this week but they were both decent sized products which allowed me to test them out properly  

Bliss Lemon and Sage Soapy Suds

This is from their ever-popular lemon and sage range (I think I also have a body lotion with this scent in a draw somewhere..) and can be used either as a shower gel or as a bath foam.

I did rather enjoy using it as a shower gel, it woke me up in the morning and foamed nicely without leaving my skin too dry and tight afterwards.  I did feel that the scent of lemon could have been a little more prominent though as I could identify the sage much more readily and it reminded me of cooking - not what I really want to think about at 6.15 in the morning!!

I tried using it as a bath foam but was rather disappointed with its performance.  I had to use quite a bit to produce sufficient bubbles and the bubbles themselves only hung around for about half an hour before completely disappearing.  I like a long bath of an hour to totally relax and work my way through the week's Grazia, and I ended up just bathing in warm water as the scent didn't stick around for long either.

Quick Verdict

Useful as a shower gel but not ideal as a bath foam due to the disappointing amount of bubbles and their lack of longevity.  At over £15 for a full sized bottle, I won't be repurchasing.

Bare Minerals Original SPF15 Foundation in Medium Beige

I have to admit to being a total novice when it comes to mineral foundation but I've heard so many raves from friends about this foundation that I had to give it  a shot when I saw it languishing unloved in my samples box.

The sample comes with a small brush which you use to apply the foundation by buffing it onto your skin.  Now I don't have a lot of time in the morning, and certainly don't have more than about 10 minutes to do my whole makeup routine, so I always felt that mineral loose powder foundation was something which would require lots of time to do it properly, although I suspect you would become quicker over time as you got more practised.

When applying I did notice that some of the powder kicked up so I would probably recommend getting dressed afterwards to avoid covering yourself in powder like I did!!  I would say it provides light-medium coverage  - enough to cover any discolouration and redness in your skin but not enough to really cover any prominent blemishes.  It did feel very light on my skin, not mask-like at all, and my skin stayed fairly matte for the 5 hours I wore it.

Quick Verdict

If you only require a light coverage, you may like this foundation as it feels very soft and almost like you are not wearing any base at all.  If you are someone like me, who hurriedly dashes out the door in the morning and likes her products to multi-task and be super simple to apply, then this may not be for everyday use, as it does require a little extra time in your make-up routine.

Have a good weekend

Victoria

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January Favourites

I seem to have quite a few favourites this month, I guess because some of these were Christmas or Post Christmas purchases and they all still seem very shiny and new!

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash

I haven’t managed to review this yet but I am finding it great for my oily / combination skin as it cleans without stripping away oils and really makes my skin feel very clean.  I’m not sure how good it would be for drier skins though.

Tom Ford Violet Blonde

A Christmas present from my lovely hubby!  This is more of a weekend scent for me, reminding me of holidays and trips away.  I won’t embarrass myself by trying to describe the notes, but needless to say it is gorgeous!

Top Shop Cream Blush in Neon Rose – I reviewed this here as part of my cream blush post and was reminded of it when The Sunday Girl posted about it recently.  I love the way that it is not a traditional cream blush formulation, as it changes from a cream to a powder on the skin and lasts all day.  Only the tiniest amount is needed!

Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara – review here

This is my current favourite mascara (and boy do I have a lot of mascara!).  A great natural look, no flaking or smudging and the most important thing-  no CRISPY LASHES!

Mac Matchmaster in 3.0 - review here I have been wearing this foundation a lot recently and although I did find it a little too dark initially, I have been wearing it with a little of the Nars Orgasm Illuminator to tone it down a little and give a more radiant look.

Kiehl's Eye Alert – review here

I really enjoyed using this eye cream which I bought on a  whim from a blog sale.  I’m almost finished it and currently deciding whether to repurchase at full price or to finish off my Liz Earle eye cream which I wasn’t as enamoured with.

Laura Mercier Lip Gloss in Mauve 

This is my first Laura Mercier gloss and I very much like it.  A great my-lips- but-better shade, it has a gorgeous cocoa butter scent and is a great shade to go with lots of looks.  This was a limited edition product I think with the Space NK gift set, but based on the quality of this gloss, I will be investigating others from her line.

Chanel Illusion d’ Ombre in Emerveille - review here

This has been included in my monthly favourites previously and I am still enjoying the ease at which I can smooth this on with my fingers, add some mascara and I have an easy eye look in less than a minute, with no complex blending of several different shades. 

What were your favourites this month?  See anything above that catches your eye?

Review: Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

This came in my Laura Mercier gift set that I purchased in the Space NK sale after Christmas and being fairly new to Laura Mercier, I was excited to give it a go.

 

The size primer I have is 30ml which is pretty generous as you only need a small, pea-sized amount to cover your whole face. The full sized tube is 50ml and I could see it lasting quite a while since you don’t need to use much. It isn’t cheap but it is priced in line with other premium beauty brands and you can often get small sizes in gift sets.

Not a pea-sized amount!

 

The primer itself is very light in consistency and glides onto the skin easily. It feels very comfortable to wear, almost like a moisturiser, and dries quickly so you don’t have to wait long before applying your foundation over it.

When using this, I did find that my foundation lasted a little longer and it certainly seemed to create a much smoother base for applying it. However I did end up feeling quite oily, especially on my t-zone where I am prone to oiliness anyway, and I actually felt it made these areas worse than they would have been had I not been wearing any primer. Laura Mercier state that this primer is suitable for all skin types, which I would disagree with. In my opinion this would suit those with dry or normal skin better. From looking on the website, I see that the brand also makes a oil-free version which I think I would be more suited to, so I may give that a try.

Verdict

Whilst I appreciate that I probably do not have the correct skin type for this primer and I would have been better with the oil-free formulation, I can see how it would work well for those with dry or normal skin. I loved the fact that it seemed to be absorbed into my skin rather than sitting on the surface feeling like I am wearing a silicone mask! It did prolong the wear of my foundation and didn’t break me out but I fear that, despite what it may say on the tube, this is not for all skin types and those with oily skin should give it a miss and try the oil-free version.

3.5/5

Price – £28

Where to Buy – Space NK, Liberty, House of Fraser

Saturday Samples!

This week’s samples are a mixture of bodycare, skincare and makeup.

Biotherm Lait Corporee Anti Drying Body Milk with Citrus Extracts 

Normally I am a bit meh about body lotions / milks / butters as I don’t have particularly dry skin and never really have the time to sit around waiting for lotions to sink in before getting dressed. I do however often moisturise dry patches such as knees and elbows and it is for this purpose that I have been using this body milk. 

This sample came from a business class travel bag hubby managed to scrounge on our honeymoon, along with some champagne even though we were in economy!  The consistency is fairly light and certainly non-greasy and it sinks in very quickly. I adore a citrus scent and this one is gorgeous and reminds me of satsumas (!), although it doesn’t seem to stick around for long, unlike some of the Body Shop body butters. So far it seems to be doing a fairly good job of providing some moisturisation but if you have particularly dry or scaly skin, this probably won’t be heavy-duty enough for you. 

Quick Verdict

A gorgeously-scented body milk that sinks in quickly, this is a good luxury product which seals in moisture and leaves your skin feeling smooth.

Price - £30.13

Where to Buy - Boots

Green & Spring Mild Toner 

I often think of toners as being something which strips the skin of oil, leaving it dry and in a worse condition than it was initially. This small travel-sized sample from Green & Spring appears to have proven me wrong as it lives up to its mild claims, with a gentle scent of rose, which seems to sooth and soften my skin without stripping it, and instead leaves my skin feeling refreshed after cleansing in the evening.

I have had no breakouts whilst using this and I have been using it daily for around two weeks so I think a full-sized bottle, whilst not cheap at £22, would last you a long time as I am still only halfway through the bottle.

Quick Verdict

Whilst I’m still not sure if toners are a vital and necessary part of my skincare routine, I have enjoyed using this one as I found it gentle enough for regular use on my sensitive, and often temperamental, skin. If you are looking for a new toner, it may be worth giving this one a try. 

Price - £22

Where to Buy - Green & Spring, Bath and Unwind, House of Fraser,

Dior Forever Foundation in 020 Light Beige

I haven't tried any Dior foundations previously so i was interested to see how this wore.  The product itself was quite liquid and watery and glided on easily with my fingers.  I have tried to provide swatches below but they have come out a bit darker than it really is, due to the absence of natural light.

Unblended Swatch

Initially, I thought this shade was a bit light for my skintone but once I had blended it in, it seemed to 'settle' and left a very natural, semi-matte finish.  I would say it has light-medium coverage and it evened out my skin tone and left me feeling like I wasn't wearing any foundation.  Having only tested it once, I can't really comment on the lasting power, but suffice to say I have been wearing it for about 6 hours and I have not yet needed to blot it, it is still looking pretty much as it was when I applied it and it was applied on only moisturised skin with no primer.  

Blended Swatch

Quick Verdict

I will certainly be taking a closer look at this foundation and seeing if I can try a larger sample for a few days.  It was easy to apply and blend and had a very natural-looking finish which would be perfect for an everyday foundation.  It also includes SPF25 which is an added bonus.

Price - £29.50

Where to Buy - Boots

Review: Mac Matchmaster Foundation

Are you searching for a foundation which doesn't turn you into an oil slick by lunchtime?  If you are, and you have oily / combination skin, Mac's most recent foundation, Matchmaster may be worth a try.

 During the summer, I tend to only use tinted moisturiser for a light coverage and to even out my skin tone but when the colder weather hits, I make for a foundation for some decent coverage.  Mac's Matchmaster attracted me as I was looking for a product which included an SPF, and with an SPF 15 included, this particular foundation jumped out at me.

Mac launched this foundation in the autumn and it is specifically targeted at those with combination skin.  I would estimate that if you have very dry skin, this will not a suitable foundation for you, as there are other options within Mac's range that will be better suited to your skin type. 

The foundation comes in a heavy glass bottle, complete with pump.  The packaging feels solid and good quality,  and in line with what you would expect from Mac products. 

Mac have eschewed their usual numbering of foundation products and brought in  a new system of shade labelling for the Matchmaster range.  I purchased the shade in 3.0 which is broadly equivalent to NC30 although I would advise you to pop into a counter to be matched if you can as undertones vary greatly between shades.  

The picture above shows one pump of the product and I have found that one and a half pumps covers my whole face easily.  It is very easy to blend with either a brush or your fingers and is not overly runny or liquid when you apply.  I found it provides an easily buildable, blendable medium coverage, which evened out my skintone and covered small imperfections.  I still required concealer for some blemishes but overall, it provided a good, dewy / semi-matte finish which lasted around 6-7 hours before I needed to blot.  

Mac say that Matchmaster works with your skintone and alters to achieve smooth, even coverage which blends in with your skin.  Indeed, when I was at the Mac counter, the sales assistant left me for a few minutes after applying it and it did seem to settle more and 'adapt' to my skintone over a few minutes. The photo above is of one pump blended in to the back of my hand and, although you can't see very clearly, it does blend in well with my skintone.

Verdict

As a newbie to Mac foundations, I can't compare Matchmaster with any other offerings from the brand.  However I would say that this is probably well-suited to those with combination / oily skin who prefer their foundations to provide medium coverage, which allows a little of your natural glow to shine through.  

4/5

Price - £24.50

Where to buy - Mac