Hey there guys and girlies!
When you’re going out or it’s a special
occasion you always want to look your best. I think it’s important to have a
good quality foundation to create a good base for your make-up. However big
high end brands can be expensive, therefore it is SO important to be sure that
you are going to use it and love it like you do your drugstore brands. ALWAYS
try before you buy, don’t get roped in by the sales talk on the counters by the
makeup assistants, you do not have to feel obligated to buy something right
there just because they have spent a bit of time telling you about the
products.
What I recommend is that you go shopping with
travel size pots to put samples in, as a lot of counters don’t have sample pots
or have “run out” (this is another sales technique they use to get you to buy
it instead of going away with a sample).
I suggest you find about 4 brands to sample at most at one time.
Boots sell a tower of 5 stacking travel pots for £2. This is really handy to
keep in your bag when foundation shopping. It is also a good idea to have a
separate little cosmetics bag to put it in just in case it leaks! You can also
bring along a pen and some little sticky labels to put on the pots to help you
remember which is which.
Make sure you do your research before you
go. Read up on some blogs like this one or look in magazines for reviews on the
top rated foundations on the market (e.g. Vogue top 10 foundations).
Decide which type of foundation you are looking for: for example - a matte
finish or subtle glow, buildable coverage etc. and also the price range. This
will reduce your shopping time down significantly and prevent frustration if
the counters are busy. If you can tell the assistants what type of foundation
you are looking for it will make both of your jobs A LOT easier!
I went to Harrods in London for my shopping;
I like to go somewhere I can find all the brands under one roof, so this store
was perfect. Plus I work here part-time, so it was nice to enjoy the atmosphere
as a shopper instead of an employee.
I was looking for a foundation with a medium coverage that can be built on that
will give me a healthy glow. This time round I wasn’t looking for a foundation
with a matte finish as I’ve found it makes my skin look quite dull, so I wanted
something that gives me a healthy glowing and glamorous finish.
The foundations I chose to review were:
Nars Sheer Glow Fluid Foundation - £31.50
Burberry Beauty Sheer Luminous Fluid Foundation - £35
Bobbi Brown Long-wear Even Finish Fluid Foundation - £30
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Fluid foundation - £34.50
NARS:
I’ve heard such good things about this foundation I
had to try it. A lot of the beauty bloggers I aspire to use it often and it was
included in Vogues top 10 foundations last year. The foundation has a sheer
finish but has the ability to be built upon, which is one of the great things I
love about this foundation. It literally feels so light on your skin and is so
soft. A lot of sheer foundations that I have tried feel greasy or wet on my
skin but this one dried perfectly and made my skin look so radiant. The formula
contains turmeric which supposedly evens skin tone and encourage the skins
natural radiance, as well as anti-oxidants that protect the skin from
potentially damaging free radicals.
It is recommended this foundation is applied with the fingers, hence why it
doesn’t come with a pump. This is because the formula is designed to work with
the warmth of your skin and fingers to ensure that the foundation is thoroughly
blended to create a natural and even finish. It can get quite messy, but it’s
all worth it for that healthy glow! I really recommend this product to anyone
looking for a perfect sheer foundation for everyday use. However if you have
oily skin, steer clear of this one, as it contains moisturising elements so
probably won’t work with your skin. Instead try the Nars Sheer Matte – it has
properties suited for oily skin, but is still able to produce a sheer finish.
BURBERRY
I’ve worked on the Burberry Beauty counter
in Harrods a lot and one of their most popular products is the Sheer Luminous
Fluid Foundation. Like the Nars foundation the finish is quite sheer, but the formula
is a little thicker, almost like a gel. Even though the finish is sheer, it
still makes your skin look absolutely flawless. I was surprised to find out
that not many people are aware that Burberry have a make-up range as all of
their products are absolutely amazing and of such good quality! The packaging
is also so classic- it’s enough to make you want to buy everything! I was
talking to the assistant working on the counter and she told me its bloggers
like myself that advertise the brand, so it is important to the company to keep
up the standard of products to ensure they get a good review that’s completely
honest. Their products are a little pricey, but the quality is impeccable. I
must also point out that the service on the counters (I also visited the John
Lewis branch) is so good. They took the time to tell me what I needed to know
about the products and didn’t pressure me or steer me towards their target
products, which I know a lot of makeup counters do.
You only need a little of the foundation itself and it will cover the whole of
your face, which is amazing! Again the formula is designed to be applied with
fingers for a sheer finish, but can be built up to a medium coverage using a
brush, or a full coverage using a sponge. The foundation lasts almost all day
as well, and that’s without using a primer! I am so impressed with this brand,
I recommend you visit your nearest branch and have a look at their products.
BOBBI
BROWN:
I
was expecting good things from the Long-wear even finish foundation as it was
included in the vogue top 10, but I have to say I was disappointed. Because I
have normal to combination skin, I was advised to steer clear of the
moisturising foundations as they are designed for dry skin and will be too
greasy for my skin. As I wasn’t looking
for a matte finish, this was the foundation that was recommended to me. I found
the formula to be a bit too thick for me and the finish was still quite matte
which wasn’t what I was looking for at all. They didn’t seem to have a foundation
to fit my requirements. However this foundation has a medium to buildable
coverage and will cover any blemishes create an even finish.
I just found it a
bit heavy and thick for me. It does last up to 12 hours and contains an SPF of
15, great for protecting your skin but not so great for parties where lots of
pictures are taken as it can cause flash back (your skin will appear shiny in
photos). Bobbi Brown is a great brand, but I couldn’t seem to find a foundation
to suit my requirements.
GIORGIO
ARMARNI
This foundation had crazy mad reviews, a
lot of my friends have raved about it. This one was also included in the Vogue
top 10. I really like this foundation; it’s so light and virtually weightless!
It didn’t feel like I was wearing anything at all. They had a range of shades
so colour match wasn’t a problem, and it blended really well on my skin. This
is due to what they call “Micro-fil Technology” to give it that beautiful silky
finish. However, call me weird if you want, but I like to know that my
foundation is actually on my face! A kind of comfort I guess to know that it’s
working and it still looks flawless, but if you like wearing something that
feels like nothing then this is the foundation for you! The formula is oil free
but still hydrating, so it is recommended for normal skin that won’t get too
oily. I love this foundation for its finish and would definitely recommend it.
In the end I went and bought both the Nars
and the Burberry foundations. I really like the Nars foundation for everyday
wear as it’s so light and natural looking, but I don’t think I’d wear it out
for special occasions. The Burberry is a little thicker and has a slightly
higher coverage but still looks natural, so I would choose this one for parties
etc. I still want a natural glowing
finish when I go out, but the Burberry gives me a little more coverage to look
extra flawless and glamorous on those big nights out!
I hope these reviews help you to find the
perfect foundation. Foundation shopping is incredibly personal; there are
different types for everyone! Don’t just go by what others or I have said, take
it as a recommendation to build your own opinions on. Make sure you purchases
are confident, so always try them out first!
Good Luck!
Thanks for reading! Please comment or
follow my twitter/bloglovin/Instagram accounts!
I am in the process of testing out products
for a skincare routine to minimise the appearance of pores, so keep your eyes
peeled! It should be out in the next week!
Still to come are posts on gift ideas for
him for Valentine’s day, as well as a few make-up and fashion hints and tips
for the big day! Also, look out for my post on a skin care and exercise routine
for the Perfect Pins for Summer 2014.
Love and Light!
Gem xx
Song of the Day:
Braveheart - Neon Jungle
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment