Thursday, July 29, 2010
Beauty Blogging: Foundations
As promised, this post will be all about foundations.
I decided to have an overview of the various foundations that I've own(ed), and what are the pros and cons about each of them.
I've decided to throw in a random beauty blogging post once in a while, since often I am out of topic to blog about.
Just a basic info, the overview will be suited best for those with combination to oily skintype. For reference, I have a oily T-zone, and fairly normal cheeks.
Also, I can barely remember what I ate yesterday, so for the price wise, I am roughly gauging it. It is NOT the accurate, exact price.
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Let's start off..
- Maybelline Angelfit Flawless Foundation
Where to purchase?: Almost anywhere in Sg! Guardian pharmacy, Watsons, John Little, Metro, BHG, SaSa, etc etc.
My thoughts: This has been my longest wearing powder foundation, to a close of 5 years. I love the fact that it comes in refill packs, and that alone saves alot of cash. It does not look cakey on the skin, no matter how much you layer on, and keeps me fairly matte for a good amount of time. This is my definite go-to powder when I am in a hurry, or on a lazy makeup day.
The thing I don't really fancy about this is the shades that it comes in. It has a small variety of shades available. However, since it's a light coverage powder, it seems to blend in effortlessly once applied.
Coverage: I would say it's a light to medium coverage. Light when applied with a dry sponge or brush, and medium when applied with a wet sponge.
Price: Affordable. About SGD18 for the refill, and SGD25 for the compact + powder. The refill do come with a new sponge.
- MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural
Where to purhase?: MAC stores/counters
My thoughts: I love love love mineralized products. Not only on the way it looks in the pan (dome-shaped), but it's actually has benefits for the skin! This foundation is said to give a "natural-matte finish". I do not use this foundation on its own, but I use it to set my liquid foundation, and yes, it do keep me matte, but not the flat-boring-matte look. It still allows some dimension to my face. I've got 2 of this, one in Medium Dark, and another in Medium Deep. I often use Medium Deep to darken my overall face, since I tend to purchase liquid foundations a shade or two lighter than my skintone (bad bad habit!). Medium Dark matches with my skintone perfectly. It comes in a variety of shades, and I am pretty sure you'd be able to find a match.
What I dislike about this foundation is the packaging. Being a mineralized product, it is rather fragile. An accidental hit or drop to the floor means it is a total goner. It will crush into a million pieces. On top of that, the packaging itself does not contain a mirror, so touch-ups could be a hassle with it.
Coverage: Sheer. If you're looking for something to cover up your flaws, don't bother with this one. This really provide a sheer, natural coverage, and helps to mattify.
Price: Rather pricey. About SGD44 each.
- Maybelline Angelfit Liquid Foundation
Where to purchase?: Almost anywhere in Sg.
My thoughts: Hate. I suppose that's enough to express my utter dislike for this foundation. The packaging is cute, and that's where it ends.
Again, the shades available are ridiculous. I purchased the second darkest shade in hopes it will suit, but the moment I tried it on my face at home, it looked yellow on me. The foundation is too yellow. I've tried applying in a thin layer, but no matter what I do, it just turned yellow (kinda reminds me of The Simpsons). And despite it being the second darkest shade in the line, it still look rather fair... so girls with darker skintones are not gonna like this range at all.
And after applying this foundation (with a powder to set it), I became a greaseball after about an hour. My face looked shiny, the foundation itself looks cakey on my skin, and doesn't blend too well. I simply hate this stuff.
Oh, I just like the fact that it comes in a pump bottle.
Coverage: Full coverage. No matter how lightly you try using it, it just ends up looking unreal on your face.
Price: Affordable. About SGD30 for a bottle.
- Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation
Where to purchase?: Almost anywhere in Sg.
My thoughts: This comes in 2 types: Normal/Dry, and Combination/Oily.
I purchased the C/O version of this, and hands down, got to be the best drugstore foundation ever. Although the product is a little hard to blend, and I have to work fast with it, or work with small areas of my face at the time, I just love what the foundation does. The C/O version gives out a matte finish, while I heard that the N/D version gives out a dewy finish. I will get my hands on the N/D version one day (as I'm into the dewy look right now).
This is very comparable to high-end foundations, for a fraction of the price. I really love this foundation, one of the best, one of the cheapest.
However though, I dislike the packaging. It does not come with a pump! Why oh why?! Each time I pour the product on the back of my hand, I always end up wasting the stuff because too much came pouring out. Definitely need to re-package it with a pump.
This foundation comes in a lot of different shades. I'm very sure everyone will find a shade to match their skintone. I'm really impressed with this item.
Coverage: Full coverage. It covers up flaws seamlessly.
Price: Affordable. About SGD30 for each bottle.
- Revlon Beyond Natural Skin-Matching Foundation
Where to purchase?: Almost anywhere in Sg.
My thoughts: Skin-matching? Seriously?
I was on the fence with this product, and actually hesitated a few months before purchasing it. I mean, how the hell can anything just magically match a skintone?
Anyhow, this product comes out white from the tube, and after rubbing it in with your fingers, it will turn to whatever shade that you bought. It will NOT necessarily match your skintone. I mean, if you're tan, and you bought the shade in 'Light', it will NOT blend to turn tan. It will look stark fair on your skin.
This product reminds me of a tinted moisturizer, but with better coverage. It feels lightweight on the skin, and very easy to work with. It's VERY foolproof. This is my go-to foundation whenever I'm feeling lazy, but need the extra oomph for the day. It gives out a matte finish, and I love that. It just helps keep my face looking fresh without feeling heavy with anything.
This only comes in about 4 - 5 shades... If you're in between shades, just pick one you'll like better, and blend the heck out of it.
Coverage: Light, natural coverage. Will not cover flaws, but it will help even out your skintone.
Price: Kinda pricey. About SGD28 for a small tube.
- Revlon PhotoReady Foundation
Where to purchase?: Unfortunately, nowhere to be found in Sg, yet. I hope they will bring this in the drugstores soon. I purchased mine online...
My thoughts: This is the total opposite of the Colorstay. It provides a dewy, glowy finish, and does not dry up as quickly, hence giving me more time to blend it away.
And... this item comes with a pump!!! Super psyched about that!! No more messy back-of-the-hand-makeup!
However, this product contains tiny shimmers in it, and it will reflect off light. It's not entirely noticeable unless you're like an inch away from my face... but it's that shimmer that provides the glow.
And despite the name 'PhotoReady', it is definitely not made for photos... I've tried using this a couple of times, and took pictures with it... the end result? I looked oily (thanks to the shimmer particles).
It came with a good amount of shades, but I was in-between shades, and decided to get the slightly lighter one... And I was wrong.. I should've gone with the darker one, since the lighter one made me look WHITE on pictures. Will purchase another when the time comes.
Coverage: Medium to full coverage.
Price: Kinda affordable. Since I bought mine online, I got it at about SGD27 (exclusive shipping)
- GOSH Creamy Compact Makeup
Where to purhase?: GOSH Cosmetics is not available in Sg, unfortunately. I purchased this online.
My thoughts: My first ever cream foundation! I had no idea how to apply it when I first got it... I tried using the sponge that came along with it, but no product transferred on my face... it got stuck with the sponge. I tried using my fingers, it ended looking streaky. So I read alot of reviews, and there were suggestions with spritzing water onto the product, and onto my brush, and then applying it... and it worked wonders!
However, being a cream, it does not work well with my combo skin... I quickly turned greasy, and the makeup just melted off my face. Cream + Oily skin = No no. I tried to make it work, but I guess there is no way it will.
This comes in a small amount of shades... and I was lucky enough that the shade I got matched my skintone. It was basically a light, a medium, and a medium-dark.
Coverage: Medium to full coverage.
Price: Kinda pricey. I got this at almost SGD40 online. And not a lot of product, I might say.
- MAC Studio Fix Fluid
Where to purchase?: MAC stores/counters
My thoughts: I love this! It is, however, the high-end version of Revlon's Colostay. However, this is easier to work with, and blends effortlessly to my skin. It gives a matte finish. It does feel a little heavy on the face, however, but as long as you don't layer it on too much, it won't be much of a bother. It will look cakey on the face if too much is applied as well.
Comes in plenty of shades to choose from! You will definitely find a shade to suit you, since it also comes with pink or yellow undertones!
Coverage: Full coverage. Covers up any flaws you have!
Price: Kinda pricey. About SGD47 for each bottle.
- Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
Where to purchase?: Estee Lauder counters
My thoughts: Simply my favorite of them all. It does not melt off my face. It truly keep my face matte for a good period of time, and the greatest thing of all, it is easy to work with. The product comes out a little thick, but after blending it out, it does not feel heavy on the face.
Knowing the blazing sun and humidity in Sg, this foundation, however, clinged onto my skin, not melting away halfway through the day. Simply awesome!
However, I just have a knack on the packaging. Again, this one has NO pump. Is it that difficult to design foundation bottles with pumps attached to it?! And the glass bottle is rather heavy.
Coverage: Full coverage. Covers up all flaws you've got.
Price: Pricey. About SGD70 for a really small bottle.
- Shu Uemura Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation
Where to purchase?: Shu Uemura counters
My thoughts: There is something about this foundation that I just can't quite pin-point to it. Each time I use this foundation, my friends will notice it. They've told me that this foundation gives me a kind of radiance that no other foundation has done. It provides a dewy-finish, and lets my natural skin peep-through a little. Anyways, this foundation tend to melt around my oily areas, especially my nose. 4 hours after application, it practically melted off my nose.
It feels really lightweight on the skin, and blends really nicely. However, I find that while working with a foundation brush, it leaves me with streaks... but working this stuff with my fingers give me wonders!
It does not come in a wide variety of shades, and almost all the shades have got a yellow undertone to it... So it's more suited for Asian skintones. But if you could match a shade, get this one!
Coverage: Medium to full coverage.
Price: Pricey. About SGD70 for a small bottle
- Clarins Truly Matte Foundation
Where to purchase?: Clarins counter
My thoughts: Oh, how I wish all foundations were to keep my face as matte as this one does. Just like the name, it really kept my face 'truly matte'. It feels lightweight on my skin, almost like a tinted moisturizer, but with a much better coverage and hold to it.
Comes in a tube bottle, and the product is not thick, either. On hot sunny days, this is my definite foundation. I'm not sure if it will hold up to a day of swimming at the beach as it does not say that it is water-resistant. But definitely the foundation for oily skintypes!
Coverage: Natural-medium coverage.
Price: Kinda pricey. About SGD55 for a tube.
- ZA tinted moisturizer
Where to purchase?: Certain Watsons and Guardian outlet, usually in the town area.
My thoughts: Firstly, the product is sooo runny. It's almost like applying colored water on my face. Secondly, it comes in only three shades. I was in between shades, so I just went all out and purchased the darkest shade. After applying it all over my face, I realized I looked like as though I've been in Malibu for an entire month, baking under the sun. Yes, I looked THAT tanned. I like it, anyhow... the fake tan look, and ALWAYS blend it down the neck.
Lastly... the product completely disappears after about 3 - 4 hours after application. GONE!
Despite being a tinted moisturizer, it does not feel moisturizing at all.
Coverage: Sheer to light coverage. Does not cover any imperfections.
Price: Affordable. About SGD16 for each tube.
- Wet N Wild Ultimate Sheer tinted moisturizer
Where to purchase?: Not available in Sg, unfortunately.
My thoughts: Despite being a tinted moisturizer, this actually gives out quite a good coverage. And it's really awesome with oily skin as well, as the end result is a matte finish. It is extremely lightweight on the skin, and last a good amount of time.
I very much prefer this as compared to the ZA tinted moisturizer.
Coverage: Sheer to light coverage. Only helps out to even out skintone.
Price: I'm not sure how much it costs... since I got mine from an online seller for about SGD8. A good price to pay for a real good product!
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I think that's about what I have for my foundation collection. I sure as hell hope I did not miss out any...
Anyhow, I'll be trying out a couple of new foundations soon, namely MAC Mineralized Satinfinish, and Diorskin Hydrating Glow makeup.
Future reviews will be inclusive of blushes, bronzers, skin bases/primers, mascaras, etc etc.
**Can you believe that this actually took me close to 3 hours to blog? OMG!
I really think that all these will last me for the next 10 years.
the beauty exposed ; 2:05 AM
Sunday, July 25, 2010
BOO!
Lack of updates for close to a month.
Still alive, as you all can tell.
I shall vamp this blog out for something else, to just keep the blogging coming.
Next post: Overview of foundations.
:)
the beauty exposed ; 7:44 PM
