foundation

Review: BECCA Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation in Dark Golden

Review: BECCA Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation in Dark Golden

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No I don’t own every BECCA product ever… but I’m getting close.

BECCA’s Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation is described as a “flexible, liquid foundation, made from pigments that blur and perfect to reflect your perfect skintone, for light, buildable coverage and a radiant finish”. This foundation is formulated for normal to dry skin, it contains 32% water, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, and green algae extract to hydrate, plump, and brighten the skin.

Becca-aqua-luminous-perfecting-foundation-bottle

The foundation has a very thin consistency and comes in a dropper bottle. I.CAN.NOT.STAND.DROPPER.BOTTLES! Look how messy it gets. When I received my bottle of foundation it was still sealed w/ the sticker but leaking from the seams into the box. BECCA should really consider shrink wrapping these or changing the bottle for a tighter fit because it was a huge mess.

Luckily I ordered my bottle from Camera Ready Cosmetics, and I really cannot say enough good things about their customer service. I’ve talked about how great they are before but I’m continually impressed. I emailed them about my issue even though I’m pretty sure the leakage was really the manufacturers fault not theirs but they were great about resolving the problem for me! They even gave me a phone call for good measure.

becca-aqua-luminous-foundation-drop

On to the actual foundation. The shade “Dark Golden” is a pretty good match for my summer skin tone. It’s a little more red than I expected but I have a tan so it works. In the winter I would definitely need to switch to “Warm Honey”. I haven’t noticed any oxidation while wearing and it lasts overall even in the heat, with one caveat that I’ll discuss shortly. The foundation is heavy on silicones so it goes on really easy and smooth and blends out like a dream. It’s really reminds me of my holy grail Face Atelier Pro Ulra Foundation but more iridescent and glowy. It gives me a medium coverage, so I still have to use concealer and corrector under my eyes to cover my problematic dark circles, but it looks great on the rest of my face.

Surprisingly I had a similar issue with this foundation in my under-eye area that I had with BECCA’s Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme. The first time I wore it I had a contact issue that made one of my eyes water just a little, and when I looked in the mirror the foundation had washed right away under my eye. My solution for every other time I’ve wore it is to just not put it in the area directly under my eye. I used my corrector, then concealer in that area and just blended the foundation right up to the edge of the concealer in the photo below. It looked seamless, gave me the coverage I needed for my dark circles, and I didn’t have anymore issues with it washing away.

FOTD_Becca_Cover_FX_Glow

What do you think? I also used Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Candlelight with this foundation on the high points of my face to give me a super glowy dewy effect. I loved it.

Review: Black Opal True Color Pore Perfecting Liquid Foundation

Review: Black Opal True Color Pore Perfecting Liquid Foundation

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Sponsored Post: Product Sent For Review – Affiliate Links
Brown Foundation
“This lightweight, oil-free liquid foundation seamlessly blends to provide flawless coverage with a high definition finish. Exclusive poreless technology helps minimize the appearance of enlarged pores, controls excess oil and renews skin natural radiance. Oil, fragrance and paraben-free formula. Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive” ~ Black Opal 
My Thoughts: 
The foundation has a great shade range but because I didn’t pick mine up in store I picked from the two colors that looked the closest to me online, Hazelnut & Beautiful Bronze, and prayed for the best. The foundation gives medium coverage and feels lightweight which makes it great for everyday wear. I don’t have large pores but I feel like the foundation glided on really easily and made my face look smooth. The finish on me was very dewy, it reminds me of my beloved NARS Sheer Glow but with less coverage. I love a dewy-glowy face but if you have oily skin you may want to powder oily areas so you don’t look greasy. I got about 8 hours of good wear out of this foundation on its own (no primer, no powder, no setting spray). 
The only thing that I didn’t like about the Pore Perfecting Liquid foundation is that I experienced some oxidation with Beautiful Bronze. Beautiful Bronze when first applied was the perfect match for my skin, a nice medium brown with yellow undertones. By the end of the day I noticed that the foundation had oxidized slightly darker and redder. It didn’t look horrible and probably wasn’t noticeable to anyone else but I noticed it. Hazelnut is a very similar color to Beautiful Bronze but with slightly redder undertones. I didn’t experience any oxidation with Hazelnut. Overall Black Opal’s True Color Pore Perfecting Liquid Foundation is one of the better drugstore foundation options that I’ve come across. 
Brown Foundation swatches
Available at BlackOpal.com ($10.95) and local drugstores 

In My Kit: Graftobian HD Glamour Creme Super Palette – Warm

In My Kit: Graftobian HD Glamour Creme Super Palette – Warm

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Graftobian HD Glamour Creme has is the best foundation that you’ve probably never heard of. Graftobian is a stage/pro brand so you won’t find it at your local beauty store, I ordered mine from my fave pro shop Camera Ready Cosmetics.
This “Super Palette Warm” features 18 warm toned shades. Graftobian also makes “Cool” and “Neutral” super palettes, with a shade range this large there’s something for everyone. This palette is what I use in my freelance kit, I have the smaller 5-pan foundation palette for my personal use, and it performs consistently across so many skin types. Graftobian HD Glamour Creme foundation is also available in larger individual pots if you don’t have a need for a full palette.
These high definition foundations are super creamy and blendable. They have a very skin-like finish when applied, they’re not too dewy or too matte. The coverage is medium to full on its own but it can be sheered out depending on how it’s applied and it’s mixed with another product. The foundation is very true to the “High Definition” name, in my experience it photographs beautifully. My favorite thing about this line of foundations is how great the undertones in the shades are, even in the lighter shades, they don’t get too white which I have experienced with other brands of foundations.

 

 

highlighter, concealer, cream contour

 

Review: FACE Atelier PRO Ultra Foundation

Review: FACE Atelier PRO Ultra Foundation

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ABOUT 
Ultra Foundation, the heart and soul of FACE atelier and the star of the line, is an innovative approach to foundation that allows you to be in control. It’s a highly pigmented, long-lasting innovative foundation that provides buildable coverage with a natural satin finish. Silicone-based Ultra Foundation is sheer enough for younger women, yet can meet the needs of anyone that requires more coverage. It’s an out-standing performer on mature, troubled or sensitive skin. Due to its unique blend of silicones in the formulation, Ultra Foundation forms a delicate, lightweight and flexible second skin with a natural breathing ability.
No primer needed!  It’s built into Ultra Foundation, thanks to the super sophisticated, silicone-based formula.  Another bonus – it sets without powder, preserving the youthful, dewy finish and has soft-focus properties that diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
MY THOUGHTS
Let me start by saying this foundation is simply amazing. I purchased it during a Hautelook sale over the summer while I was at The Makeup Show in Chicago, none of the vendors there were carrying it. It took me a while to really start using it but now that I have I think it may have replaced my previous Holy Grail foundation, NARS Sheer Glow in Macao. The range offers 16 shades, 3 of which are color correctors. I am wearing shades “0+” (which is too dark) and “10” (which is too light) mixed together for my perfect shade. I’m pretty sure shade “11” would be perfect for me but because I ordered online it was hard to get an exact match.
The foundation itself has a very runny consistency due to it’s silicone base. For that reason I always apply with a stippling brush, I feel like my beauty blender would just suck it all up. This foundation just glides on so smoothly and blends evenly into the skin. It has a dewy finish which makes it look much more skin like, in my opinion. Foundations that are too matte always look like a mask to me. The coverage is medium to full, I usually apply one layer which gives me enough coverage but it is buildable so you can add more coverage without looking cakey. The picture below is one layer of foundation ONLY, no color correcting or concealing.
All of that is great but my favorite thing about this foundation is that it lasts all day on me even. I never use setting powder with this foundation because I like the dewy look and it still doesn’t budge. I’ve worn this foundation on a hot sweaty day while working on a photo shoot outside. Even though my face got sweaty, the foundation seemed to allow my skin to sweat but settled right back into place after my face dried. It’s literally amazing and I’ve never tried anything else like it. I’ll definitely be taking this foundation with me on my cruise (which I’m probably on right now) in case I want to glam up for dinner one night.  The only thing that I don’t like is that the cap gets so messy, I’ll probably double bag for travel but it’s definitely not a deal breaker.
 

 

 

Making Magic: L’oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder

Making Magic: L’oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder

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I rarely ever purchase drugstore foundations but when I heard about the L’oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder foundation I decided to give them another try. I read many reviews from other bloggers saying that it was reminiscent of Armani’s Maestro foundation which I have been lusting over since it came out. L’oreal brand is also Armani’s parent company so I was pretty much sold.  With Armani Maestro ringing in at $62 and L’oreal Magic Nude at a mere $12 it wasn’t a hard decision!

I purchased shade “332 Soft Sable” which I believe is the darkest shade that is available unfortunately. I must agree that the bloggers were right about this one! The formula feels exactly like the Armani Maestro sample that I tried out & I really love.
It gives me a light-medium coverage very skin-like finish. Most importantly it is so comfortable on the skin, it feels like theres nothing on my face which I love.
The only thing I dislike is the packaging, I love that it’s glass but I wish that it had a pump or dropper like Armani Maestro because, as you can see, the bottle gets messy.

Before & After

I’ve been loving this foundation for a natural everyday look, the only thing I feel that I need to add is a little concealer under my eyes because I like slightly more coverage on my dark circles.

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Foundation Fail? Not Quite: Mehron Celebre HD Foundation

Foundation Fail? Not Quite: Mehron Celebre HD Foundation

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So I’ve been wanting to try getting into cream foundations for the longest. I’ve always been a liquid foundation girl but I’m always hearing the raves about how natural cream foundation looks and how well it blends and how easy it is to adjust the coverage… blah blah blah… the list goes on. Enter, Mehron Celebre HD Pro Foundation, they have so many shades and I’ve seen so many good reviews on the internet about their formula. Mehron’s site also states that the Celebre HD Foundation contains “powerful antioxidants such as vitamin E, pomegranate and aloe vera that help soothe the skin”. Color me intrigued. 

Unfortunately they aren’t available anywhere locally near me but I was able to order online from Camera Ready Cosmetics during their 20% Black Friday sale. I had to guess my shade from swatches I found online which can be tricky. I purchased two shades Medium Dark 3 and Dark 1, hoping that I could use Dark 1 all over and Medium Dark 3 to conceal/highlight under my eyes. The two shades looked almost identical in the pot but once swatched I could easily see the difference.

Medium-Dark 3 & Dark 1

Sadly, Dark 1, is way to olive toned for my yellow undertone and it makes me look a sickly ashy green color. yuck!

But other than my color matching fail the formula on these seems to be pretty great. They are full coverage but are easy to sheer out with a damp sponge. It feels light on my face and is not greasy but I do think it needs to be set with a powder if you have oily skin. For only $9 for a huge pot (.9 oz) I will definitely be ordering a few more shades to see if I can find a perfect color match out of their 40 shade selection. Funny, I’ve never had to problem of having TOO MANY color options for a foundation!

xx

JULY HAUL: suite7beauty.com, makeupmania.com & wal-mart

JULY HAUL: suite7beauty.com, makeupmania.com & wal-mart

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 I’ve been saving up all my purchases from the whole month of July to put into one big post, even though it’s technically August just bare with me y’all! I think I’m going to do this from now on instead of like a million little posts…. idk we’ll see… anywho on to the goods. 
 
 

 While doing some browsing around for somewhere to buy some Bdellium brushes I came across a site I’ve never even heard of, suite7beauty, with OCC Lip Tars on sale for only $8!!! My initial reaction of dougie-ing across my living room ended when I started thinking it was just a little too good to be true.  So I hoped on google and found some mixed reviews on the site so I decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a try && good thing I did.
My items arrived well packaged in perfect condition even though they shipped through FedEx which took FOREVER!! I swear it took like two weeks to get here but it got here and that’s all that matters.
left column top to bottom: NSFW, Grandma, Banjee, Analog, Uber, Tarred
right column top to bottom: Katricia, Plum, Vapid, Fondue,  Petty Beige 
I’m going to swatch these in a later post of my entire lip tar collection

 I also ordered a Sugarpill Chroma Lust Loose Eyeshadow Trio in Zillionaire which included Hysteric, Goldilux, and Junebug. swatched dry (left) and wet (right). These are sooo gorgeous & glittery but it doesn’t really translate well in these pics.
In case you didn’t know Makeup Mania carries several “stage” and “professional” makeup brands which can be hard to find in some areas, they also have VERY reasonable prices. From Makeup Mania I FINALLY ordered a La Femme blush palette I’ve been lusting for like a year, seriously. I used the Palette Lab to order one complete palette with 12 blushes for only $35 and I bought a separate empty palette with 8 blush pans, I plan to order more later because a few of the colors I wanted were sold out. 
Some of the colors I actually ordered were sold out at the time I placed my order and someone quickly contacted me to ask if I wanted to wait for them to come in stock or order a different shade. A++ for great customer service.
  Top: Peach, Peach Sparkle, Indian Rose, Magenta, Dusty Rose, Pink Velvet
Bottom: Coral, Coral Spice, Golden Ruby, Red, Mulberry, Terracotta

 

 Top: Fuchsia, Apricot, Russett, Sienna
Bottom: Purple Passion, Flamingo Pink, Orange, Mandarin Red
These blushes are SOOO pigmented it’s ridiculous. You only need the lightest tap of the brush to get good color on the cheeks great for the deeper skinned ladies! They are the same or better quality than high end brands like MAC and NARS but at a fraction of the price (>$3.00 per pan) although they are slightly smaller. 

 Ben Nye Creme Rouge in Coral
I haven’t really got to play with this very much yet but I can tell its very pigmented and blendable. 
 
Ben Nye Banana Powder
This cult classic powder is my new fave for setting concealer under my eyes when I’m going for that Kim K highlighted look. The yellow tint really helps to neutralize dark under eye circles. I also think that it would work well as an all over setting powder for those with lighter skin tones. 
Why did I want to smell this to see if it smelled like bananas tho? lol. 
It doesn’t in case anyone is wondering.
 
 
 Graftobian Hi Definition Foundation Palette in Warm #3 
(L-R: Femme Fatale, Winter Wheat, Ginger, Burnt Amber, Sienna) 
“This formula is soft and silky, light enough for everyday use, but with
enough coverage to perform through even the most demanding of
circumstances while yielding a flawless finish” (MM description) 
  
I got this foundation because one of my fave YT Gurus gossmakeupartist raved about it. He’s always going on about cream foundations while I’ve always been more of a liquid girl I figured I’d try it cuz he’s FAB. The product description is completely accurate to what I’ve experienced so far. I’ve been using a blend of Winter Wheat and Ginger for a flawless concealer that lasts pretty much all day with a little bit of BN Banana Powder on top!
My last few goodies I picked up on a whim…

L: Revlon Matte l/s in Mauve it Over 
R: Rimmel l/s in Airy Fairy
 I’ve seen both of these lippies hyped on countless beauty blogs. I actually thought Airy Fairy was discontinued but maybe not I snapped it up with a quickness because it was the last one on the shelf!  Both are gorgeous MLBB (my lips but better) shades for everyday wear. I LOVE ME SOME PINKY NUDES lol. “Mauve it Over” is also said to be a dupe for MAC Velvet Teddy.
I spent entirely too much money on products last month. smh. but I got some pretty good deals IMO.  What new things have you picked up lately?? I love hearing about other peoples beauty addictions lol Comment Below!