Archive for the ‘Foundation’ Category
I am going on holiday to Marrakech soon. It will be 7 days in the (here’s hoping for) scorching north African sun, and I am looking forward to getting my first sun tan in almost 18 months.
One thing I am determined to do is to minimise on my packing with make-up and beauty products for two main reasons: I will be flying by no-frills airline Easyjet who are notoriously difficult with luggage dimensons and weights (total size includes wheels and handles for crying out loud!). Also I want to leave enough room for any potential purchases I will find difficult to resist from the souqs.
I took a heaving bag of make-up on my last getaway and shamefully I didn’t even use two-thirds of the contents. What is it about going away that sends us into a panic that we might need several palettes and lipsticks? It’s a holiday, not a fashion shoot!
So here are the essentials I’ve whittled down to:
- Maybelline’s Volum’ Express The Rocket Mascara – my current favourite mascara (not photographed)
- Illamasqua’s Precision Liner in Abyss
- Illamasqua’s Skin Base (12)
- MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (NW35)
- L’Occitane’s Sublime Beauty Cream – BB Cream in Medium*
- GOSH BB Cream in Warm Beige
- Bourjois cream blusher in Sweet Cherry (04)*
- Nars cream blusher in Maui
- Avon Supershock Gel Liner in black
- Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Roomiest Rose and Mightiest Marschino*
- Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush (005)
- Smashbox Megatint in Punch*
- Bourjois 3D Effet lip glosses in Brun Exotic and Brun Rosé*
- Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss in Icon and Empress
- Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm* – doubles up as a primer
- Liz Earle Sheer Gold Shimmer
I have purposely avoided products which need brushes as well as powders, and subsequently I am leaving out the eyeshadows because frankly I can’t be bothered with all that faffing around.
Bourjois’s new collection of cream blushers are not until 15th May but you can read a review and see swatches by Leanne of Do Not Refreeze. Light and slim in packaging, these are perfect for travelling so I’m popping one in the bag.
I am also looking forward to putting L’Occitane’s new BB Cream through its paces and I will be posting a review on it.
All of these fit nicely in my relatively small Bourjois make-up bag*. Honestly my make-up bag before was hand bag size!
Is there anything else I should take? I know I’ve overdone it with the lipwear but the trouble is, I don’t know which ones I will wear (depending on how I feel at the time) so I’m taking a few. Madness. I would love to know if you try to downsize your make-up when you go away or if you take more than what I am packing.
On a separate note, if you’ve been to Marrakech, please let me know your recommendations about what hidden gems I should visit or try. One thing that is an absolute must is a hammam and massage and picking up some argan oil. Can’t wait!
*PR sample
A few weeks ago I attended the launch of Dr Lewinn’s Skin Perfect Anti-ageing foundation and was given the chance to try the new base for myself.
There are six shades available and I was paired up with Tan. The remaining five shades are Ivory, Cream, Beige, Latte and Sable, with Tan being one from the last.
The scent is the first thing that grabs you about this foundation. It smells of roses because it contains rose stem cells for renewing and stimulating skin. It also has matrixyl synthe’6 to help enhance skin collagen, tourmaline for radiance and hyaluronic acid, for hydrating the skin. For a brand which prides itself on understanding the complexity of skin care, it is no surprise Dr Lewinn’s has ensured maintaining healthy and young looking skin is an integral part of this formula.
Coverage is full with SPF of 15 and gives a velvet like, soft powdery finish. This specially created foundation is supposed to help visibly smooth wrinkles and fine lines, leaving skin looking firmer and more youthful. It is also worth pointing out that it is a gel-like formula.
In a first on Just Nice Things, I am posting a picture of myself without make-up (apologies for not warning you in advance). OK, I have fibbed a tiny bit – I am wearing mascara and a bit of eye make-up but my face is naked so you can see my actual skin tone.
And here’s how I look wearing Dr Lewinn’s Skin Perfect Anti-Ageing Foundation:
Have you stopped screaming in horror?! I can’t decide which is more freaky – with or without make-up. You see, my usual choice of foundation has yellow undertones and Tan is pale in comparison, and slightly pinkish too. I have to admit that the difference is noticeable on the parts I’ve missed out on covering.
I appreciate how this foundation works brilliantly for others (I noticed how amazing London Beauty Queen looked wearing her perfect match) but we all have different skin types and tones, and it would seem on this occasion Dr Lewinn’s Skin Perfect Anti-Ageing Foundation isn’t right for me. It makes me look grey and washed out. I have been wearing this foundation a few times a week at work to see how it performed in duration and whether I felt differently about it in the day time but my sentiments remain unchanged. In fact I felt very conscious that others could tell my foundation didn’t match properly!
I suppose I could get away with wearing this in the winter though saying this, we have been in a permanent state of winter for about eight months so it’s not as if my cheeks have been flushed with colour!
It is a superb formula with no cracking or drying and it lasts all day but anyone with the same skin tone as myself or much darker will be disappointed.
Dr Lewinn’s Skin Perfect Anti-Ageing Foundation costs £25 for 30ml and is available from www.drlewinns.co.uk.
*PR sample
This time last year…
A year (or nearly two in my case) feels like a long time but looking back, it’s gone quickly. Those who have been reading Just Nice Things for at least a couple of years will know the obstacle I had to face in 2011, leading me to stop blogging for a while. (Here’s a little reminder of that.)
I have openly talked about the drastic loss of hair I suffered as a side effect of taking harsh medication, and the sadness and distress it caused to see pretty much half my hair fall out. However, I knew it was just a temporary glitch and I was far more concerned with fighting my illness and recovering from that.
I stopped my treatment towards the end of March last year but I still had to be monitored with regular check-ups and tests, and that it takes up to a year for the drugs to leave the body. It’s also when the healing process began.
This February I was given the all clear and discharged. On Valentine’s Day funnily enough. And I couldn’t be happier. I’m back to my usual self and it’s as if the last 18 months never happened.
But back to the point of this post. This time last year, the above picture is how my hair looked – very thin and whispy. I barely recognise myself when a year prior to this, I looked completely different – I had a huge crop of hair!
Georgia had to cut my hair much shorter to regain its strength and to allow it to grow back healthy so it was like taking a step back to go forward. I wasn’t happy when I had been wanting to grow my hair longer but I agreed with Georgia that this was the way forward.
Yesterday I popped along to The Chapel and four hours later, I left looking like this:
Cleopatra is back!
Now I’ve had a little booster with some human hair extensions by Racoon but only in the sides as that’s where my hair is the weakest. I first tried them in the new year and decided I wanted to keep them (expertly done by Billie).
There is actually a logical explanation behind this and it’s not for vanity alone. Billie advised that by having some extensions added for fullness, they would also take the stress and pressure off my real hair at the sides from when I use straighteners. Think about it – when you run straighteners through your hair, you are pulling at it. My hair at the sides always seems to be particularly weak as a result of such actions.
After two months of wearing extensions, when they were removed we noticed a difference – the hair looked stronger. I have continuously used straighteners but running them over the extensions has meant they have guarded my real hair from damage.
Some friends have told me they aren’t keen on extensions as they ruin real hair. Not if they are applied correctly. These were attached by glue about an inch from the roots, so the new hair has room to grow and become strong and the extensions are completely separate from inflicting any potential damage. I also didn’t experience any hair loss, no headaches and after a day, I forgot they were there.
Although the extensions have been matched perfectly with my real hair, the only giveaway is they are longer in length (so I’ve cheated a bit!) but could you tell if I hadn’t made the revelation?
My real hair has been growing back quickly too; the back alone is sprouting new, healthy hair which I am so chuffed about. I try to use castor oil whenever I can as that stops hair breaking and promotes growth but my use of it is now pretty sporadic. My health bouncing back is most likely the main source of it all.
The extensions are something I don’t intend to keep forever, but they are very addictive and has made managing my hair so much easier. The important thing here is they are doing something positive to my real hair so it feels like a treatment at the same time (albeit an expensive one!)
It is a welcome change to find a salon which is concerned about progressing forward with the needs you may have, and the girls at The Chapel have done exactly this for the last two years with me. They’ve already got ideas in their heads about what they’re going to do to my hair in the summer and for Christmas and do you know what? I can’t wait.
If you’re wondering what products I used here, they are: Illamasqua Skin Base in number 12, NARS blusher in Taj Mahal (face), Maybelline’s Color Tattoo in On And On Bronze, Urban Decay’s Smoked palette, Bourjois’s Eyeshadow pot in number 16, Maybelline’s Rocket Volum’ Express mascara (eyes), and MAC’s Chilli lipstick with Illamasqua’s lip gloss in Drag.
Recently Daniel Sandler very kindly sent me some of his products to try and interestingly this included a cream-in-a-compact.
I trust liquid and gel more for an even distribution and flawless coverage. It’s been years since I used a base in compact form (powder actually) and my only experience with a creamy compact wasn’t particularly memorable. With that in mind I wasn’t sure how Daniel’s Catwalk Compact would compare to the methods I am comfortable with.
The creamed compact is packaged in a solid and attractive looking compact, which also comes with a sponge applicator. It has SPF 25, is suitable for combination to oily skin types and is available in 10 shades with attention on medium to dark skin tones.
While it’s not unusual to use your fingers to apply liquid or gel foundation, you most certainly need a sponge for cream as you are dealing with a thicker and almost solid texture.
The cream light-weight foundation is very soft and very little is needed for a medium coverage which is buildable for maximum coverage. I used shade 06 which was a perfect match and it blended effortlessly and quickly with the sponge, but most importantly once it was on it stayed on.
Wearing Catwalk Compact in shade 06
I usually prefer a dewy finish but Catwalk Compact leaves a soft matte finish with the setting properties of a powder. However it doesn’t look caked on at all and as I mentioned earlier, it is incredibly light. I really didn’t feel the need to layer it on as it gave me the sufficient coverage with long lasting results.
I also used Daniel’s Watercolour Crème Bronzer in Fiji – a gorgeous terracota – with my fingers and it would have been rude not to finish off with his watercolour blush in Spicey. I love this product so much!
Daniel also has a liquid foundation, Super Mineral MakeUp which is a foundation, sunscreen and anti-oxidant in one.
Containing nutrients and vitamins to nourish the skin while offering protection (SPF 15), its light diffusing mineral pigments help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles too.
The product which comes with a pump, offers medium to full coverage, giving a dewy look. It’s oil-free, fragrance-free and water resistant like the Watercolour Blush and Bronzer. Suitable for all skin types it comes in a total of 10 shades too.
I can’t fault this one either and I have two choices when it comes to selecting a foundation by Daniel Sandler. The compact is great to slip into my handbag and is practical to use on the go or when travelling while the Super Mineral Makeup liquid is something I would opt for more frequently just because of personal preference. Both have delivered impressively and sit very reasonably in the price scale when it comes to foundations.
Wearing Super Mineral Makeup in shade 06
You’ll have noticed I’m wearing a bright red lippy in the first photo – it’s Daniel’s Red Carpet matte lipstick and Daniel insisted this colour would suit me. Hmm. Well this one is full of surprises.
Not only did I notice immediately how smooth and evenly it glided on, the texture was so soft too. What should be pointed out is the lipstick contains a “non-drying” matte formula – 4 hours since application, my lipstick were still moisturised with no cracking or peeling.
Red Carpet feels light on the lips and the colour is richly bold and beautiful – it couldn’t have a more apt name. This is how all matte lipsticks should look and feel!
The magic ingredients are Squalene, a natural moisturiser and Hyaluronic Acid to soften lips as well as Vitamin E and as a result this lipstick doesn’t bleed. It is also hypoallergenic, free of preservatives and fragrance.
Catwalk Compact and Super Mineral Makeup foundation are currently available at the special price of £15.50 (usually £21.50), Red Carpet lipstick costs £13.50 and Watercolour Crème Bronzer (available in 2 shades) is £15.50.
Thank you, Daniel for creating such superb products that deliver – I’m in love. I think this is one affair that will go the distance.
To buy online and support the best of British, visit www.danielsandler.com.
*PR samples
