Going Gaga over Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup

When it comes to the one makeup item that I’m very fussy about, it would be foundation. It is after all a base makeup that goes across my whole face and need to sit well for the entire day on my skin so texture and wearability is important. Add to that the complexity of finding the perfect colour match, it’s like traversing a jungle to find the perfect product for foundation.

So when I recently tried a new foundation that meets all these criteria, I just couldn’t wait to share it all with you.

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup SPF 20

First up, the whipped creamy texture is thicker than liquid foundation, but lighter than traditional cream based makeup. In fact is has a gel like consistency and is similar in texture to some of the thicker Asian BB creams (which is not to be confused with the western BB creams which are thinner in consistency and generally more like tinted moisturisers).

The gel consistency allows it to glide easily over skin and make it a dream to blend and buff with the use of a synthetic buffer brush (I use the Signma F82 brush but any dense synthetic buffing brush would do, just don't use the flat paddle varieties which will leave streaks and need more blending effort). Even fingers will give an amazingly even and flawless finish with this makeup.

#320 Warm Gold(en) depending if you are in the US or Australia

You can easily build up the medium coverage formula to full coverage and achieve this without your skin looking like it’s being caked-on with product. It will easily help hide small blemishes, pigmentation and dark circles in a cinch. It imparts a soft natural finish, not glowy but not completely matte either so your skin don’t look flat after base application.

It’s also a very hydrating formula and my face doesn’t feel dry nor does it accentuate dry patches when used along my usual mositurising regime (serum then moisturise) despite the fact that that I usually suffer from dry skin the side of my face. The sun protection factor is also great even though I already use a separate sunscreen.

on NC30 skin, no flash in fluorescent light. See how well it blends and matches my skin it is almost invisible

As for colour match, I found my perfect match in #320 warm gold(en), which is a warm medium shade with a slight yellow undertone and is slightly darker than the same shade name in the ColorStay liquid foundation that’s been in my makeup rotation for the past 4 years. The other thing I like about this foundation is that it doesn’t oxidise and change its colour during its life on my face, ensuring that I don’t turn an weird orangey colour

I honestly cannot find any fault in this foundation. It boasts a time release formula to keep it looking fresh for up to 24hrs but in honestly my longest single period of wearing it was 15 hours and by the end of it, I’d say that 50% of it has faded but because it wears so well, there are fewer makeup crease marks around my nose and laugh lines thanks to the flexible technology, it still looked good on my skin. After 12 hours, the makeup is still farily intact so that if you do a quick oil blot and powder touch up, you can still look quite fresh at the end of a long day if you are heading out into the evening.

Yes, I’m gushing about this makeup as I didn’t think a whipped product would work for me because I’ve previously tried a few mousse foundation varieties (remember Maybelline dream smooth mouse foundation?) and didn’t like them. Revlon has really blown its competition out of the water and beats many high end products this time to come out with such an amazing foundation.

I cannot ask for more from a soft natural finish foundation that is so comfortable and long-wearing. I think it this is my 2012 holy grail status foundation. It's a big call I know, but I can't see many other foundations beating it. If you can find one in your colour (there are 7 shades available in Australia compare to 10 in the US), then you’d be silly to not try it.

RRP A$34.95 for 23.7ml at selected Priceline, department stores, Target, Kmart, Big-W and pharmacies.
This featured product was provided for consideration.

Natural Looking Skin with Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup

The nude makeup look is all the rage at the moment with everyone from catwalks to actresses trying to achieve that naturally beautiful skin without the cakey look.

But let’s face it, unless you are blessed with good genetics/have regular laser surgery/or are just darn lucky, you’re bound to have a few blemishes (pimples, pigmentations, here or there. In short - we all need a bit of a helping hand to look naturally good.

One of the makeup new to the market that promises to do just that is Estee Lauder’s Invisible Fluid makeup.

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup 

• Lightweight,  silky touch dry finish, this acts more like a light veil on skin that soften imperfections like a good lens on a camera would but still allowing your own skin to peep through.
• It blends easily into skin and imparts a healthy glow to skin (no light-reflecting micro particles here, just a light natural sheen that gently corrects tint, tone and brightness) and with that, helps to freshen the face so it doesn’t look so sallow or tired looking.
• With a new patented technology called IntuiTone, it is meant to give a seamless blend into skin for any skintone regardless of how light are deep coloured you are. The sample I tried was 1CN1, which was one of the lightest shades and unfortunately too light to really blend into my skin naturally. Luckily there are 12 shades available so I think if it was a few shades deeper, I can see it being the perfect colour and tonal match. 
• With the coverage greater than a tinted moisturiser but less than a foundation. It can be sheered or layered to give a bit more coverage. 
• It won’t cover red marks like pimples or rosacea (you’ll need to help of concealer) for that. But for overall evening out of skintone and light pigmentation, it does a great job. 
• Longevity and lasting power was fairly decent for such a lightweight foundation, it lasts for 6-8 hours without much budging or smudging at all in the wet cold and windy Melbourne weather.
• I also like the fact it is so lightweight, I barely remember I have a base makeup on and feel that my skin is able to breathe during the day instead of being suffocated under a thick layer of product. 

swatched on NC30 skin

With the quest for barely-there and natural looking skin, the best way to do that is to wear no makeup at all.

But if you can’t bear the thought of going completely naked out on the streets, then Invisible Fluid makeup is your new best friend – no one will know you had a little helping hand to look this good :)

Edit: my perfect match for NC30 skin tone is 3WN1.

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup 30ml – RRP A$68 |US$35. Available now at Estee Lauder counters or online.
This featured product was provided for consideration.

Perfect Complexion: Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation

If you were ever in the market for a natural finishing liquid foundation that has adequate coverage you'd know how hard that can be. Previously my go-to work foundation that doesn’t make me look too made-up was the Bobbi-Brown Long Lasting Natural Finish foundation but I found its coverage to be a bit lacking, especially when I have breakouts or severe dark circles to cover up.

So I’m pleased I have found a replacement in a couple of products recently – one a Blemish Balm (or BB) cream and another, a foundation. Today we're going to take a look at the foundation.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation SPF15

 

This is quite a thick liquid foundation with a medium buildable to full coverage. It has a semi matte/natural finish  which means it isn’t too flat against the skin, nor is it too shiny or dewy which can make you look like a oil-slick in hot humid weather.

It evened out skintone effortlessly and because of the excellent coverage, it also does an amazing job of  helping to reduce the appearance of pore size (I wouldn’t call it pore minimising though), and doesn’t seem to accentuate any bad skin texture. The result is a very even, smooth and radiant complexion after blending the product into skin. 

In terms of staying power, this foundation goes the distance. At the end of a long 10 or 12 hour Melbourne summer day (35+ degrees last week) in the office, my base makeup is still 60% intact and although no longer fresh looking, still manages to keep me looking presentable without too much shine and keep my face well hydrated (it does get shinier as the day wears on though). I have not tested it against the 24 hours claim but believe that for use during my waking hours, it has performed extremely well. 

I tried out two shades to find a match - shade #3.0 Beige Diaphane  (a light medium with yellow undertones - perfect for my winter shade)  and shade #3.5 Beige Dore (a light medium with neutral undertones and was almost a perfect match to my darker summer skintone). You can see in the below photo when blended out, both shades are very good matches but the amazing thing is how well it evened out the skin on my arm to give me flawless skin with a hint of radiance.

NC30 skin, indoor white light, no flash - look how even my skin looks in the before and after blending shot!

If you want to have to try and find your own matching shade, you can give their Facebook complexion finder a go but nothing beats a quick in-store colour match. 

The other good thing about Teint Idole Ultra is that it photographs very well and doesn't give off a white cast even though it is SPF 15.  

Teint Idole Ultra 24 hours is recommended for people with oily, combination skin but I think it would suit all skin types except very dry skin (because it will accentuate dry patches). 

Overall I’m very happy with the coverage, finish and staying power of this foundation. My only nit-pick about this foundation is that it has strong synthetic floral scent upon application. I’ve become accustomed to the scent now after a week of daily use but it does takes some time for the scent to disappear and I can imagine those who are irritated by scent to avoid the foundation because of this very reason. 

If you want lasting power with a natural radiant finish, then this could just be the foundation for you. 

What is your current favourite foundation?

30ml RRP A$68 in 12 shades at Lancome counters Myer, David Jones stores and selected pharmacies.  
This featured product was provided for consideration.

Rave: Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus All-smooth Makeup SPF 15

Following on my last foundation post, I'm on a roll and thought it only fitting to do another foundation post this week.

A fan of multi-purpose products, I find anything that makes saves me time in the morning or makes life easier added to the staples list of my (ever-growing) morning beauty routine. So when this latest 2-in-1 skincare makeup was launched into the market earlier this month, I knew it would be something that could easily simplify my life in the rushed mornings.

Clinique Repairwear laser focus all-smooth makeup SPF 15 - 30ml 

• This combines the patented ingredients and benefits of the hugely successful Clinique Repairwear laser focus de-wrinkle and UV damage corrector serum to correct, protect and prevent fine lines and wrinkle causing by UV damage. 
• This foundation goes on smoothly, gives medium buildable coverage and dries to a soft natural finish (similar to Bobbi Brown's long lasting natural finish foundation, but with more coverage). 
• Upon application, it immediately soften lines whilst evening out skintone and hiding imperfections (as you expect a foundation to do). But the key impressive thing for me with that is that it is very moisturising, and doesn't settle into fine lines or accentuate large pores and lines. It just basks my skin in moisture and keeps it hydrated all day long, which is particularly beneficial in air-conditioned offices. 
• Contains SPF 15 (the standard SPF formula for foundations in our market) and a cocktail of ingredients that you normally find in skincare to help reverse the signs of aging. 
• You will find skin protecting Murumuru seed butter, vitamin E to provides anti-oxidative protection while skin plumping palimitoyl oligopeptide and siegesbeckia orientalis extract fills in the lines and gives skin a smoother appearance, and whey proteins firms and refines the texture . Add in the SPF and you have an all rounder skincare product really. 
• Use with your anti-aging and damage corrector skincare, this will no doubt give an added boost to the reversal of skin imperfections and damage rather than just covering it up. Paired with the Repairwear Laser Focus serum (review of that coming soon), it makes for the perfect powerhouse couple in the fight for fine lights and bad skin texture. 

this gives a medium coverage natural dewy finish. Flash used

blended swatches on NC30 skin

I had the chance to try shade 3 which from the photos above, you can see is slightly too beige on my golden skintone and would suit those with more neutral/pink undertones. I did find that this foundation oxidises slightly to become darker by the end of the day but as the sample shade I had was not coloured matched to me, I'm not too sure if a matching colour would minimise the colour-changing effects of oxidation.

For foundation colour matching, it's best to get a colour consultation with the makeup advisor and check the results in natural sunlight, away from the bright warm store lights. If you are unsure of the formula or colour match provided (the advisors do make mistakes sometimes), ask for a small sample to use for a couple of days to make sure its the right product/shade for you.

Clinique's repairwear laser focus makeup is what I like to call a genius foundation: it feels very comfortable on skin, gives adequate coverage with a great finish that lasts the whole day and with longer term use actually helps to improve the texture and appearance of your skin. This is by far my one of my foundations released this year in terms of finish and coverage and with 10 shades available for 2 different skin types (I: very dry or II: dry-combination), you should be able to find a shade that suits.

RRP A$68 | US$32.50 |£27.00 at Clinique counters across the country now.
This product was provided for consideration.

Review: Kit Cosmetics Liquid Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 15

If you love the mineral foundation, but hate the mess that loose minerals cause all over the vanity or bathroom table, then you'll rejoice the fact that some clever soul solved that problem with the creation of liquid mineral foundations.

They go on like normal liquid foundation but dries to a powder finish and give you the same silky soft feel and the benefits of natural sunscreen ingredients that are often associated with mineral foundation. Not only that, these foundation are generally minimalists when it comes to the ingredients list and are less likely to cause irritations on sensitive skin types.

Kit recently put out such a foundation and I had the opportunity to try it during my makeover last month.

Kit Liquid Mineral Powder Foundation - 35ml 

• Contains minerals that help protect skin all day by giving physical sun protection with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.The finely milled minerals also act as light diffusers to soften any imperfections on skin and give you an even and flawless base. 
• The oil-free liquid formula is mess free and dries to a powder finish in about 3 minutes time, enough for you to do the blending work on your face before it sets. Because it sets to a powder finish, no additional setting powder is required unless you have very oily skin and want that extra shine absorption protection. 
• Lightweight and breathable it also contains vitamins A, C and E to condition and protect skin as well as hyaluronic acid to hydrate throughout the day. 
• Kit's formula give a velvety smooth finish with excellent coverage. As you can see on my hand, all the  uneven skintone and some minor sun spots I have is easily covered by that single drop of foundation and this lasts through more than 9 hours of normal wear on my face. 
• This liquid mineral foundation is more sophisticated than most and it shows in its ingredients listing being quite long as there is a built-in primer and added moisturising complexes; those who like minimalism in their mineral foundation ingredients will have to decide if this suits them. Personally I love the feel and finish and ease of use of this foundation so if I could find a better colour match (with only 3 shades, the choice is quite limited), this would be my foundation for flawless smoothness that stays put all day long. 

a little goes a long way and look at how smooth skin looks afterwards

I was colour matched to Tan but as you can see, this is too dark and would be more a deep summer shade for my skin. If they expand their colour availability, I'd make this my everyday foundation in a heartbeat.

Available in 3 shades: Light, Medium or Tan.
RRP A$44.95 at Kit Cosmetics counters, Mecca Maxima or online.
This product was provided for consideration

Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation SPF 25

I love Bobbi Brown foundations for their colour match, coverage and finish and have previously used the Luminious Moisturizing and Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation SPF 15.

So when Bobbi released the new Extra Repair foundation last month, I had high expectations.

Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation SPF 25

Extra Repair Foundation in warm beige (3.5)

• Is a multi-tasker being makeup, sun protection and skncare in one. With sun protection of SPF 25, it's one of the higher SPF foundations in the market. 
• It also contains shea butter, vitamin A & C from willow herb extract, sodium hyaluronate, evening primorose oil, rosemary extract and geranium flower oil, vitamin E to sooth and hydrate and protect. Being more than your average foundation,  skin feels soft and moisturised for hours after use. 
• Has a unique texture – it isn’t a cream nor liquid type foundation. Rather it is a rich moisturising cream consistency. It instantly brings to mind the East-Asian coloured skincare Blemish Balm product which is like a thick tinted moisturising cream. 
• Provides buildable light to medium coverage. It won’t hide serious imperfection but it does a fabulous job of evening out skintones and covering light marks and pigmentation (see photo below of covering my pigmentation and darkness around the eye area). It also provides good coverage from redness.
• Gives a dewy finish that gives skin a healthy glow. It may be too dewy for some but a little loose powder should be able to adjust the sheen level. 
• Has a sparkling citrus scent thanks to the bitter orange oil and is very pleasant to my nose. Upon application the scent fades away within minutes. 
• Best applied with fingers as you would a moisturiser. It requires a bit of blending for the product to spread evenly onto skin. Ditch the brush as it gave a streaky finish and sponges soaked up too much of the product and didn't give a better finish than fingers. 

skintone is evened out around the eye and mouth area. Notice the dewy glow 

Cons

• Doesn’t like to play nice with some skincare products and can cause pilling with serums and moisturisers when blending into skin (I’ve tried unsuccessfully to make it work with Olay Regenerist, ASAP Super C serum and Vitacreme B). It also doesn't like the Clearasil cream so I would advise applying any blemish cream after applying the foundation. Patting the foundation into skin rather than blending it seems to help alot as well. Good thing that it's also a skincare product as it is best used on bare skin or with light water based serums/moisturisers. 
• Doesn't suit dry patchy skin types as it accentuate the flakiness more than liquid type foundations do. Be sure to exfoliate your skin regularly to keep those dry patches at bay and also use a primer to help prep the skin so the foundation sits more smoothly on top of skin for a better finish. 
• At A$132 for a 30ml jar, this is luxury item and sits in the realm of nice-to haves rather than must-haves. Perhaps the price is more justifiable with the rationale that it's skincare and makeup in one?

This is the ultimate foundation for dry (but not patchy) skin types who love a light dewy finish. I’m still not sure it’s won my heart as the other Bobbi Brown foundations seem to work better for me. With its temperamental nature with my other skincare products, I reserve this foundation soley for days when I’m on a minimal skincare routine.

30ml RRP A$132 | US$55 (ex tax) 

Available in 12 shades at Bobbi Brown Counters now or BobbiBrown Online.
This product was provided for consideration.

Review: Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation

One of the hardest thing I find to to shop for is foundation. The process of colour matching can be the biggest challenge and there just never seems to be a perfect shade for me, even if there are close matches.
Always in search for the best matching ones that gives me just the right coverage and feels great on skin, my recent hunts have taken to towards Rimmel London's Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation.

• Contain built in aqua primer to give a flawless finish, this liquid foundation claims to last through sweat, heat and humidity that will last you the entire day and beyond (hence the 25 hours claim) 
• Provides a medium coverage that is buildable through layering of the product. 
• Has a dewy and slightly glowy finish. It feels slightly sticky on skin if you are concerned about such things, once set with translucent powder, the stickiness disappears. 
• Light and fluid, it isn't too thick and is very easy to blend with fingers or a brush (I use the Sigma flatop kabuki brush to buff it in). I love the even flawless finish you can achieve with this foundation and the fact it is quite transfer resistant (you have to rub pretty hard the get to colour to budge).
• Is very hydrating on skin is suitable for dry skin type. Oily/combo skin types may find it a tad too greasy for their liking. 
• Lasting power wise, I found the makeup melted at the end of a lengthy 9 hour work day in an office environment and even when touched up with powder, it is definitely losing the some of the coverage when compared to the freshly applied look. The 25 hours claim doesn't stack up here for me, but considering it does last longer than most foundations and did take me through the working day, I can't complain too much.

I didn't get a colour match from the range that is available in Australia (a quick search online showed that the US again has a larger shade selection - why do we only get such limited range?). The 2 colours I tried did somewhat adjust to my skin when applied and 200 Soft Beige (too light) with a yellow base is more suited to me than the more pink beige under toned 201 Classic Beige.

Rimmel Lasting Finish on NC30 skin

If you are after a hydrating foundation with a dewy finish, this will be the foundation for you. The only challenge will be finding your right shade, and with 7 shades available, you just might be lucky enough to find one that matches.

RRP A$17.95 at Priceline, supermarkets and pharmacies.
This product was provided for consideration.

Review: L'Oréal Matte Morphose soufle foundation

L'Oréal's latest foundation is Matte Morphose. They call this soufflé foundation, which is supposed to represent a texture that is lighter than mousse foundations - to me it feels the same. It's also supposed to help create poreless look with a new marketing ingredient Mati-Crystal, a translucent gel that absorbs shine but also enables light to pass through.

Highlights

• Supposed to give 12 hrs matte yet luminous finish. I would say it provides a slightly dewy finish but doesn't quite last the 12 hours stated. It was good for about 8 hrs on my normal/combo skin.
• feels soft and lightweight on skin and gives a silky velvety texture.
• acts as a primer and foundation with its volatile oils spheres that helps to stabilise the foundation on application.

Lowlights

• The soufflé texture have a balling up feeling before melting and then blending into skin, something that I don't dig. 
• I found it hard to spread with fingers even though it is supposed to melt on finger, buffer brushes seem to work better with this product. 
• gave small smoothing and pore erasing effect for me. It did not accentuate it either.
• light coverage which can isn't too buildable. It provides inadequate coverage for those us with more problems than just skintone unevenness.
• limited colour range - only 6 colours are available in Australia but they are forgiving colours due to their sheerness and blends into skin and provides a decent colour match (slightly pink on my skin).
• did not really help with shine control as marketed
• jar packaging with screw top lid can become quite un-hygienic after use, pumps or tubes for me please.

shade 230 Golden Honey on NC30 skin

Final thoughts
I prefer cream or liquid foundations which gives more coverage. Those blessed with naturally flawless skin will love its lightweight and silky texture and the primer & foundation-in-one formula.

Rating: 6.5/10 RRP A$34.95