Liquid -Bourjois - Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation
pashmeash 2/22/2012 1:52:00 AM
i'm pretty infatuated with this foundation. as someone with extremely dry, sensitive skin (partially due to my current acne medication), foundations i used to like have not been able to cope with the increasing dryness. this foundation has so much going for it (e.g., it actually has a pump!), and number one is how moisturising it is. it does a great job of softening the skin and evening out skin texture.
the colour match is probably the worst thing about this foundation. i bought number 51/light vanilla and it's slightly too light for me, whereas the 52 is too dark, but it's ok once blended out. like other reviewers have said, you couldn't say with any honesty that this foundation was gel-like in any way. it's more of a light liquid consistency, which is beautifully blendable (i use a damp sponge) and fully absorbs into the skin so that it looks totally natural and like you have no foundation on. it's also got a lovely finish that is neither matte nor dewy, but more of a satin finish that looks really healthy on the skin.
unlike other reviewers, i would not call this a sheer foundation. it's certainly not full coverage, but goes on with light coverage (even though it's slightly buildable, i would not say it gets to medium coverage). somehow it still does a fantastic job of evening out skin tone without looking caked on or fake. i have a fair bit of acne scarring, and while this foundation doesn't erase blemishes it makes them entirely benign to the extent that i don't use concealer on an every day basis.
so far it's been pretty long-wearing (so far worn it for 8 hours in a row with no problems) and hasn't caused me to break out (amen). totally worth a try for people with dry/sensitive skin who are after light coverage with a satin finish.
ETA: the bourjois healthy mix serum is also an amazing base to swirl other foundations into for extra coverage, so you can get the best of both worlds.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Aveeno - Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser
pashmeash 2/21/2012 8:11:00 AM
i'm currently on roaccutane for my acne and this product has been recommended for people on this treatment. however, while i was initially optimistic about its calming and softening properties for dry and sensitive skin, i found that after a day or two my face was becoming increasingly dry to the point where i now have entire patches of skin that are so dry that they feel like scales. moreover, my face became slightly irritated after using it and i noticed that it looked quite red and discoloured once it was washed off. it was super disappointing, because it actually felt lovely while i was using it and i had a nice clean feel after my face had been patted dry. unfortunately, it did not seem to work with my skin whatsoever.
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Crème -Maybelline - Dream Smooth Mousse
pashmeash 2/2/2012 6:48:00 AM
foundation is the hardest thing to match to my skin, especially in the last few months since i've been on roaccutane which has made it especially difficult to work with. even with heavy moisturising my skin tends to be quite dry and patchy, so previous products that had looked ok before (mineralised powder foundations, liquids) were no longer suitable and accentuated those areas. i have used the dream matte mousse before, and like that product, i also use the shade porcelain ivory for the dream smooth mousse. the most obvious thing is that the dream smooth mousse runs a fair bit darker than than the matte mousse, and the lightest shade in the smooth mousse is slightly too dark for me whereas it was perfect in the matte mousse. another thing i would say about the colour is that it has very discernably pink undertones. i have neutral/slightly warm undertones, and sometimes feel that i look too pink, like i've just run for five minutes. unfortunately, while the next shade up (classic ivory) is more suitable for my colouring, it is too dark for my skin. for some people the undertones will be perfect, but the colour range is definitely one of the worst things about this foundation. the consistency of this foundation is beautiful and i don't find it to be heavy at all. you can make this foundation as sheer or full as you want (i usually use it for medium coverage). interestingly i find this foundation works best with a powder brush that is sprayed with some water - it's marketed as "ultra-hydrating" but i still feel that for my skin it needs some extra help. once it's buffed in though, it looks flawless and airbrushed and absolutely not cakey. i have a decent amount of acne scarring and i think this product does an excellent job at evening out my skin tone, and on a day-to-day basis i don't feel any need to use additional concealer. i do find that i need to set it with some powder (i just use a natio pressed powder), but once i do, it lasts all day and i don't get oily at all (and it's summer in australia right now). the packaging is a bit dumb, and i'd never use the sponge, but overall i think it's a great drugstore product and worth giving a go.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Max Factor - False lash effect
pashmeash 2/2/2012 6:18:00 AM
this is a lovely mascara that i use for night time, more dramatic looks. it has fantastic volume, a rich black colour, and doesn't flake on me. the biggest thing though is that it beautifully defines the lashes as well - clumping is an absolute deal-breaker for me and the combination of individually coated lashes and amazing volume is pretty unbeatable honestly (e.g. i find it better than covergirl lashblast). the only con for me is that, like others have said, it does dry out fairly quickly and i find i need to repurchase every month or so to enable easy and smooth application. given that this is not a daily mascara for me, that's a fairly expensive commitment. however it consistently delivers better than other mascaras i've purchased and if you buy it in bulk when it's on sale, it's the perfect volumising and lengthening mascara.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No