17 Stay Time Foundation

I so rarely post about foundation that I can barely remember how to talk about it! Haha, when I was last at home, I picked up another bottle of Revlon Colourstay foundation, because I can't find it in Germany. But while running through Boots, I also saw that they had 3 for 2 on 17 make-up, & they had a new foundation. While I had never tried any make up by 17 before, I threw caution to the winds & picked it up after seeing how pale it was!

The packaging isn't great - Plastic, but it has a pump, & can 

be 'locked' to prevent any accidents in your make up bag!

Stay Time foundation is described as being a full coverage foundation that delivers a flawless smooth skin finish that lasts for 25 hours. Full coverage? Definitely true. My skin can be quite uneven in tone, & very red (Perks of being a natural ginger!) but this covered everything - I literally look like I don't know what a freckle is. While I prefer natural skin & only go for full coverage when I'm going out, or my skin is VERY blotchy, I want to know I can rely on it to cover all the bleurgh on my face!

No make up - Just foundation

Then again, that's zero use if it won't last. I can't say I leave foundation on for 25 hours, but it definitely takes its time fading. I happily go without primer, concealer & powder some days, and other than a bit of redness around my nose, it's all good! The finish is satin, so combined with the thickness of the product, it can clingy to dry patches a bit. My skin is combination - Dehydrated, with a bit of an oily T-Zone, & dry flakiness when I get spots. So other than the occasional dry patches, it worked well on my skin! I applied it with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, & usually use a pump & a half.

The clincher - Just foundation applied to the left side of my face! 

It's crazy how different my skin looks.

And the big bonus - It was pale enough for me. Not only that, but I got the second palest shade, Soft Ivory. It's available in six shades, all of which are pretty pale so it won't suit everyone. The other bonus is the price. Usually budget foundations are orange & weird on me, but for €4.79, this ticks all my boxes. I mean, I thought my Revlon Colorstay was a bargain but this is ridiculously cheap! It contains the standard 30ml & has SPF 25. 17 is available in Boots & online.
I've also managed to convert my little sister & best friend to this foundation... I'm going to spread the love!

With full make up.

Have you tried any impressive budget foundations lately?

Chloe x

Make Up Forever HD Foundation

After realising that I hadn't actually reviewed most of my June favourites, I figured I'd better get a move on. And there was no hesitation when deciding what to review first - Make Up Forever's HD Foundation was top of the list.

MUFE describe it as using 'innovative formulas to create a new generation of make up which is invisible on HD cameras and to the naked eye; the oil-free medium-to-full coverage liquid foundation covers skin imperfections, is easy to apply and leaves the skin soft and radiant." It sounds absolutely amazing, & is massively hyped, but some reviews claim that's all it is - Hype. So I was a little bit nervous about spending €39.50 on something that could be awful. But I did, and I don't regret it.

Bare skin - Just foundation

Okay, I skip foundation A LOT these days, but I cling on to it for dear life in a night out or special occasion. I fully admit it - I'm vain & want my skin to look its best, especially when photos are involved. And HD foundation really does help with that. I don't find it to be cakey or too thick. After application with a few brushes, I've decided that buffing it into your skin works best to give you a flawless complexion without any streaks or patches. I have dry skin & it lasts all day/ night on me, but it doesn't seem too fade a lot around spots, etc either, so I think it should work for oily skin tones too - It's actually oil free!

No make up - Foundation (and eye make up!) - Full make up

The packaging is just standard clear plastic, but it comes with a pump which is brilliant. I tend to use a pump & a half - two pumps for full coverage. I have shade 118, which is a good bit darker than my skin, but matches my fake tan beautifully. It's quite runny, but spreads well, & should last quite a while (so €39.50 for 30ml seems a bit more bearable!)

I just like putting up photos of myself. In which you can see the kinda 'soft focus' effect.

Basically, I think my skin looks pretty damn deadly when it's on - It covers spots, evens skin tone & my pores seem smaller. It's definitely not one I'd wear every day (Though I have worn it during the day & didn't find it too heavy) but for Special Occasions, I think this HD might just be my HG.

Do you have a special foundation?
Chloe x

YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation in BR 20

I used to be one of those people who, when I found a lovely foundation, would save it purely for special occasions. I have no idea what I used to do daily but these days, I am much more willing to break out any product during the day! I think it might have been YSL's  Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation that convinced me that I should use all my nicer products more often.

I'm sure everyone has heard of the foundation YSL developed to match their Touche Éclat, but if not: It's available in 22 shades, with different tones for the different colours, to match undertones. It's also developed without talc & other ingredients to prevent it from settling in fine lines & give a luminous finish.

 The packaging is beautiful too - Glass & gold.

Does it live up to the hype? Well I definitely think so! I would say that it's a very buildable foundation, so it can be applied sheerly, then the addition of another layer gives more coverage, without any cakiness. It is quite a 'glowy' base but doesn't make me look oily. I do always use powder though!

The shade matching can be a bit hit & miss. The first two times I was matched up, the MUA's suggested I go for BR 30. Seeing as I had presumed I'd just be the lightest shade, I was not a fan of that! But Beige Rose 20 is lovely on me, & corresponds with my pink undertones. The YSL counters are quite nice about giving shade samples though!

You can see my skintone has evened out & redness & spots have been covered.

The one drawback is lasting power. I have applied it on its own, & it only lasted about 5 hours. It also completely faded on my spots! With primer, powder & concealer though, it does last me the day. However if I want to stay out longer, it can handle an extra layer which is handy.

No make up, & just foundation.

I apply it sheerly over my face, then apply extra to my cheeks & my chin (where breakouts appear)

Application seems to work well with a flat foundation brush. At first, I used my Real Technique's Expert Face Brush, which required a pump & a half, but I've swapped to my NIMA duo-fibre - amazingly, I can use one pump for two layers on my face! That, is what you call a miracle.

As I said, the YSL counters can give you a 7 day sample, if you're interested in trying it out. It's the standard 30ml, & costs about €38.

Do you keep your 'nice' products for special events or use them daily?

Chloe x

P.S. Can you BELIEVE that I took these photos at 8PM? Praise the joys of longer evenings & having a sunny back garden.

Revlon Colourstay in Ivory

Hey girls

I decided it was time to dedicate a post to one of my old reliable products - Revlon Colourstay Foundation. I'm pretty sure it may be the first foundation I found that actually matched my skin tone. (See the lovely blue tinge off my face below?) The shade Ivory is a beautifully cool, pale colour.

My skin is dry/combination but I accidentally picked up the oily/combination formula. I have no regrets though - It lasts all day but doesn't cling to my dry patches. Applied too heavily, it can get a tiny bit cakey but if it's buffed into skin properly, it will give you beautiful skin. I don't usually require full coverage but if my skin looks more red than usual, or I just know that I won't be touching up too much, this foundation is a saviour. I apply it with my ELF Studio Powder Brush & buff it in to give a lighter, even coverage.

My skin without make up - With just foundation

It comes in at around €19 in Boots/ Superdrug for the standard 30ml of product. Not exactly cheap, but probably one of the cheapest options you'll get for pale skin without hitting up high end brands. My two complaints? I'm not a fan of the smell. But it doesn't linger. Also, the lack of a pump means I regularly pour out WAY too much on the back of my hand.. It really annoys me!

No make up - Foundation - Full make up

But hey, I can deal with those two things. I know I'll be picking this up when I run out!

Have you tried Revlon foundations? What did you think?



Chloe x

January Wishlist

It's been a whole six months since I last did a wishlist post - Since then, there's been a lot of time to drool over make up, clothes & other things that I don't need but would probably give me left arm for! (I'm a rightie anyway, the other hand just gets in the way.)

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6. 

1. Do I even have to explain this? Origins Super Spot Remover is practically a cult product. my skin isn't the worst but spots always pop up at the worst times along my chin & jaw. I like to think knowing I had an effective treatment might stop the dreaded squeezing!

2. While on the hunt for shoes to match my dress, these New Look Silver Strap Heels caught my eye. They are not my usual style at all, however.. I'm thinking they might just pair well with the dress? Time will tell.

3. Don't even ask. I KNOW it's still January. I KNOW this top would give me zero support. I KNOW I'd probably never wear it. But the simple black of this River Island Cut Out Bikini Top and matching bottoms just calls me. And won't hang up.

4. In all my Christmas excitement, I'd forgotten a lovely Make Up For Ever voucher that was in my possession. I'm thinking this Invisible Cover HD Foundation could be a dream on nights out, and still have to choose what else to pick up!

5. After a hair cut & excessive dying, my hair is crying out for some love. Lauren's Way Dream Rollers seem a lot kinder to hair than heated rollers or Velcro - There aren't a lot of reviews though, so I'm not completely sold.

6. Love them or hate them, Glamorous Disco Pants are much cheaper than the originals & are apparently the best dupe. Due to my serious love for skirts, the only trousers I turn to are jeggings so Disco Pants could be a nice alternative.

Do you have any of the above? What's on your wishlist?

Chloe x

What I got for Christmas

Hello lovelies,

Christmas may be well and truly over (We took down the decorations yesterday - Sob!) but I thought I'd do a little post on what I got from friends & Santy (Yes, the big man still delivers my presents. I'm a believer.)

I've seen a few posts with disclaimers on them, reminding their readers that they are not bragging about their gifts. I simply love these type of posts, as it appeals to my inner curiosity, so I wanted to share my presents just in case any one has run out of other posts to nose through!

My presents.

I was incredibly lucky in what I received. Probably enough bath & body sets to last til next Christmas - A ready made excuse to chill out in a bath sometime soon. 

My main present was an Android tablet, which I requested for travelling, because my laptop was giving me awful back pains & I felt 19 going on 90... Coupled with my lovely new diary, I will try to be a tad more organised this year! 

Lancome La Vie Est Belle is a perfume I've been lusting after for a while, so when I saw a set in the Christmas sales, I picked it up for myself. I also picked up a new purse a few months back, and kept it until Christmas. I gave it to my parents, to give back to me as a present! I appreciate it more like that.

Beauty & nail-related bits & bobs.

I should also have enough make up to last me for a very, very long time.. But I can't say no. YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat is my new favourite thing, followed closely by the Real Techniques Expert Face brush. Lots of new nail polishes, a few nail wraps to experiment with, & Benefit's Sexy Little Stowaways kit, and I'm a happy bunny.

So, that's Christmas & the season of good-will gone for another year. I'll try get up a post on the few things I picked up in the sales, but there may be a spending ban on the way!

If you did a post on your Christmas gifts, feel free to leave a link in the comments so I can re-live the joy of gifts all over again!

Chloe x

February Wish-List!

Hi!

This week, I've done quite a bit of window shopping, though managed to restrain myself. Here are a few of the things I've tried on/ sampled/ craved more than Bressie's phone number. (Whatta man.)

1. I tried this top on in River Island & fell in love. I do not know why - I'm not the kind of person who shows my tummy off, but with a high waisted skirt (cough, no 2) I think it's amazing.

2. And with that top, I popped on this skirt. It was a spur of the moment choice, as I originally had a leopard print mullet skirt. However, due to the cheaper price and the way it flattered me, I now want this. Hoping it doesn't look too goth-y on me.

3 & 4. This is a definite purchase, but an either-or. I'm coming to the bottom of my Mac Studio Sculpt, & my Bourjois Healthy Mix has given up the ghost. I need to spend a little to suit my incredibly pale face so hopefully either this or this are woth €28/ €44.

5. My shoulder bags are absolutely killing me, with the weight of my laptop/ So if this solution turned up in Accessorize on Grafton Street, I won't lie - I would be very tempted.

6. I have to dress 'smartly' on a college trip to Berlin in two weeks, so was having a gawk at blouses online. But it was this cute one that caught my eye. I like birds.

Anything you've been lusting after lately?

Chloe x

Rimmel: Wake Me Up Foundation

Hey guys!

I've badly been wanting a new foundation, as both my go-to bases are on their last legs. I'm waiting until I'm in the airport in a month to stock up, but in the mean time, I wanted an inexpensive, but decent foundation.

Lo-and-behold, while popping into Boots in between lectures, I saw a strand of Rimmel's newest offering, Wake Me Up foundation. After a long, draining two weeks of essay deadlines, I needed a new alternative to guzzling coffee and covering my face with my hair. At an introductory price of €6.95, the usual RRP of €10.95 still won't break the bank. (I think it's an indication of how wrecked I am that I just typed PPR by accident.)

The packaging claims that it "visibly reawakens and illuminates skin, with a radiant glow and a flawless, natural-looking finish" and has an "anti-fatigue effect". Bring it on, I said. And did it?

I bought shade 103, True Ivory, as it was the palest shade. I'm pretty much ghostly, and sadly, it's a little too dark & yellow-toned for me currently. Taking into account that (a) my skin is a little paler than NC 15, and (b) I haven't seen the sun in quite a while, I think it should still suit most fair-skinned girls. I'm hopeful that it'll match my skin when it gets warmer, or at least with a hint of fake tan.

With flash

Without flash.

But otherwise, I think that this foundation pretty much delivers on its claims. My skin is dry/combination, but it applied miraculously. It doesn't cake or highlight any dry patches, and seemed to just hide all my pores. It makes my skin look dewy, which could be a problem for those with oily skin. I don't tend to apply foundation to my forehead, so I can't really comment on whether it's overly shiny. Of course, it's not a heavy coverage, which I like for during the day, but I still feel like I could wear this without concealer and powder, if in a rush.

So, would I recommend it? Yes. I don't think it's perfect for me, mostly down to my colouring, but I like the look of it, and for €10.95 for 30ml, it's a budget-friendly option for tired skin.

Chloe x