August Favourites

It's the end of the month already so that means another monthly favourites post. 

1. I have been using two foundations this month. The first is Max Factor Lasting Performance and the second is Max Factor Xperience Foundation. I have been using Lasting Performance for a long time and really like it but do find that sometimes the colour can be a bit dark. I am still trying out the Xperience foundation but so far I like is and the shade is lighter that the Lasting Performance.

2. For my eyes, I am still using Urban Decay's Naked Palette a lot. I have also been using Mac's Parfait Amour eyeshadow. I have been trying some of Michael Todd's single eyeshadows.

3. I have haven't tried anything new with mascara's this month so I have been sticking with Urban Decay's Supercurl and NYX Doll Eye Mascara.

4. For my lips I have been using a very simple product, Vaseline. It seems to have resolved my dry lips problem. I have also been using Benefit's Wild Card lipstick.

5. I am using Michael Todd's 'Sugar Daddy' blush for my blushing needs. I have also been using Elf's blush from the Elf blush and bronzer.

6. I have tried keeping my nails without polish but when I have used polish I have used Catrice Purplelized nail polish, along with Barbara Daly 'Goodye Yellow'. I will review this soon as I have been using it for a long time.

7.  Regarding brushes I have been using Elf's powder brush and I am also liking a new, well new to me, eyeshadow brush from No7. I am also using Elf.s blusher brush a lot.

8. To keep my make-up on longer I have been loving and using 'All nighter', which is a makeup setting spray. It is a very light mist which is why I like it and it also really helps make-up stay fresh.

What have you been using for August?

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Compact Foundation

Product

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish is described as a 'Versatile cream foundation in a portable compact. Glides on, covers almost any flaw. Moisture-rich makeup with light diffusing particles to help diminish imperfections.' It is meant to offer 'adjustable coverage' with a 'satin finish'. 

This foundation has a thick yet creamy texture. It is also very soft to touch. There is a sponge applicator provided with this compact, however I do not use this as I find they can hold bacteria and also are difficult to clean. I will either use a MAC 187 or Elf's powder blush. I feel that the powder brush offers the best result as the bristles are closely packed. Elizabeth Arden claims that this offers an adjustable coverage I do however find that it is a full coverage foundation.  

I do find that the shade of this foundation is a little dark. I have it in shade vanilla and was told when I purchased it that it was the lightest shade. I however think that 'Ivory' is the lightest shade and will be getting that shade the next time I purchase it. 

Longevity

This foundation does offer great longevity. I do find that if you have oily skin then you will need powder over this to reduce any shine. I can wear this for ten to twelve hours. 

Packaging

The foundation compact comes inside a black cardboard style box. The actual foundation is inside a black plastic container as shown above. There is two compartments in the container, one with the foundation and one to hold the sponge, as shown below. The style of the compact is slightly old fashioned, it however remains simple and also expensive looking. It is also very easy to carry in a handbag for travel purposes and doesn't break easily. 

Price

I paid €15 for this foundation. The price does vary though depending on where it is purchased. 

Would I buy this again? Yes. I have purchased this twice already. I will be looking for a lighter colour the next time that I purchase it. 

July Favourites

I know it's a few days into August so I apologise for being a little bit late with my July Favourites.  

1. I'll start with what I have definitely been using the most. It also made an appearance for the June favourites.  It's Urban Decay's Naked palette.  I still use this nearly everyday and also night for creating different looks. 

2. I have also been using Urban Decay's Supercurl mascara a lot this month since I received it for my birthday. It  really finishes off an eye look and is great for day and night time.  

3. With regards to foundation I have been using Max Factor Lasting Performance. It gives me great coverage and also gives a flawless look.  

4. For priming my eyes before eyeshadow I have been using Revlon Vital Radiance. It gives great longevity to any eyeshadow that I apply and also prevents any creasing.  

5. For my lips I have been using a Benefit lipstick in LaLa Land. I will be reviewing a few of Benefits lipsticks soon. 

6.  I have been using a variety of different blushers and bronzers over the past month. I have been trying to use different ones instead of using my Benefit Coralista and also testing some other's for review purposes.  

7. For my nails I have been using, again, Penny's Cornflower and also Tesco's Barbara Daly Goodbye Yellow.

8. For my brushes I have been using mainly MAC 187 for foundation and No7 concealer brush and also Elf stippling brush for applying my high definition powder. I have used some other brushes too but these have been the ones I have used most.  

Max Factor Second Skin Foundation

Product

Second Skin foundation claims to be 'an innovative formula that creates the look of naturally perfect looking skin'.  And now as I sit here typing and looking at the results of a few hours wearing this foundation...I can say that this does not create perfect looking skin for me. 

The first problem I had with this was that the shade was too dark even though I purchased the lightest shade, which is 040 Cream Ivory. I still gave this a try however and tried to us a powder to help lighten it. This did work slightly, however it was still dark. 

I purchased this as I had wanted a foundation that would be lighter on my skin for the summer and while this has a liquid consistency, I found that to get it to apply evenly over my face I needed to use more product than I would usually use.  

It also becomes very blotchy. I can clearly see areas of my face where the foundation has been completely removed, perhaps because it transferred onto my clothes or I touched it.  Either way it doesn't look very appealing after a few hours wear.  

I applied this using a Mac 187 brush which applied it and blended it perfectly considering the liquid texture of the foundation.  

Longevity

I had expected this to last all day. However, I applied it at nine o' clock and by three o' clock, there was obvious blotchy and patchy areas on my face. Therefore, I would not recommend this to someone who wanted a foundation that will last all day.   

Packaging

I do like the packaging of this foundation.  It comes in a glass bottle with a plastic pump on the top. I like the pump as it means the product in the bottle is free from bacteria. There is 30ml of product in this bottle.  

Price

I purchased this on Amazon for £10.56.  However it is also available in pharmacies and in Boots stores. I think Boots sells this for €19.99.  

Would I but this again? No. 

Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation

I am starting the reviews of the products that I received from Amazon recently with Max Factor Lasting Performance. 

Product
This foundation claims to have 'a long-lasting, smudge-proof formula that resists rubbing off onto you or your clothes'. I do agree that it has a long lasting formula, however, it doesn't completely resist rubbing off onto clothes.  This is my go to foundation at the moment. I have tried so many different foundations and this is the only one that comes closest to providing long lasting good coverage.

This foundation has a very smooth light texture while also providing medium to full coverage. I apply this with a Mac 187 brush and it applies beautifully. I have two different ways of applying this. The first way I will apply some to the back of my hand and then dip the top of the brush into it and apply to my face. The second way I will apply small dots of the foundation on my forehead, cheeks, chin and nose and blend out. I will use this method if I want a lighter finish and less coverage.

Longevity

I have used this foundation in nearly all situations and it has lasted for all of them. I have applied it going to college and it lasts until I get home and these can be full nine or ten hour days. I have also worn it when going out at night and it has also lasted without having to reapply or apply powder. 

Packaging

Lasting Performance comes in a plastic bottle, which is nice as it wont break if it is dropped and is also easy to travel with. There is 35ml in this bottle. 

Price
In Boots stores this costs €15.99.  I however ordered this on Amazon and I paid £8.78.  


Would I buy this again? Yes. This is the third bottle of this that I have purchased and I love it.  

It's arrived!

I recently blogged that I was waiting for a number of makeup related products to arrive and I got a nice surprise today when they arrived two days early. The products included: Max Factor Second Skin Foundation in Ivory, Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation in 100 Fair,  Barry M Intense Eyeliner Pen in black and NYX mascara in Black Long Lash. I will be reviewing them shortly. I'll be starting with the Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation as I have used this before. I will review the rest once I have tried them as few times. 

Have you ever tried any of these products?

Revlon Colorstay Foundation

I loved this foundation for many reasons however it was not meant to be.  

Product

Revlon Colorstay foundation comes in two different formulas,  one for Noral/Dry Skin and one for Combination/Oily skin.  I have tried both of these as my skin has changed over the past year and a half.  This foundation is very liquid and when I first opened the bottle and poured it out I had low expectations. This did take me a few tries to get used to the liquid consistency and also how to apply it. Once I had mastered that it always applied excellently. The coverage from this foundation was excellent and could also be used for concealing purposes when needed. 

The main problem with this foundation, with both formulas,  was that it caused my skin to break out. I really wanted to love this foundation and I did until this happened. When I purchased this initially it took me a while to figure out what was giving me bad skin.  I used the Normal/dry first. Then about a year later I decided to try the Combination/Oily foundation as my skin type had changed and I though that it might just be the Normal/Dry formula that caused me to break out.  However, after about a week it caused my skin to break out again and this time I realised instantly what caused the problem.   

Longevity

I applied this foundation in the mornings and it would always last me in entire day. This would include all weather types and also if I had a very busy day. The only time I would re-touch it would be when I was going out that night and  I wanted it to look very freshly applied.

Price

I paid €18.99 for this foundation. I purchased it in Boots but it is available in many pharmacies nationwide.  

Would I but this again? If this had  not caused me skin problems then I would, however it'll have to be a no because of the bad reaction I had from it.  

Revlon Colorstay Mineral Mousse Foundation

The correct foundation is always difficult to find. I, like most other women, have tried many  foundations, trying to find a foundation that has the right coverage, shade, texture. Every shopping experience where I look for foundation is filled with questions such as, 'Will it have the right finish?', 'Will the shade be too dark?' or 'Will it last long enough when I apply it?'. Therefore, this is my first of many reviews of different foundations. 

Product
This foundation is from Revlon's Colourstay collection. I purchased this in '10 Fair' as I have very pale skin. The formula in this foundation is probably one of the worst that I have used. I tried to apply it with a 'Mac 187' brush and it was very difficult to work with and also I needed a lot of product using the brush. I also tried it with the ELF studio powder brush, which I use regularly to apply my foundations, and it was equally as bad as using the 'Mac 187'. Finally I tried a sponge, which I don't like using because of the bacteria held in the sponges after one us. This was the worst method to apply with. The sponge absorbed most of the product and anything that it did apply it simply moved the product around my face.  


There is a smooth mousse like texture from this foundation. I initially thought that it was the mousse  texture that was making if difficult to apply. However I have used mousse foundations before and they have been fine. 


The '10 Fair' shade was a good match for my skin. It was therefore disappointing that the coverage and formula were terrible. 


Longevity
I applied this several times in the hope that one way would work. However, I had to remove it after I applied it as it looked terrible. Therefore, I don't know how long this would last as I couldn't wear it for any more than a half an hour, as I felt it looked so bad. 

Packaging
The one redeeming for this foundation was the packaging. It comes in a nice black plastic tube. It is easy to just put it into your bag without worrying if it'll get damaged. It is also easy to get the product out. 

Price
I'm not sure the exact price of this in stores but I think its approximately €15. I purchased it from ebay for approximately €7. 


Would I buy this again? No