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Archive for the ‘Face’ Category
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
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We’re used to seeing fruit extracts used in skin and hair products, so why not use them in a foundation, too? That seems to be the thinking between Bourjois’ Healthy Mix Foundation, which uses fruit to deliver a “radiance boosting” formula, and eight hours’ worth of hydration into the bargain.
The fruit’s not just in there for novelty value, though. Bourjois say they’ve used apricot for radiance, melon for hydration, apple as an antioxidant and ginger for energy. Sounds more like a smoothie than a foundation to me, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and apparently this has a bit of a fruity fragrance too, which would appeal to me, although perhaps not to everyone.
This comes in eight different shades, and retails for £10 at ASOS.com and anywhere with a Bourjois stand. There’s also a concealer to go with it, to make your face that little bit more fruity!
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Thursday, February 25th, 2010
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 Like Clinique, I’m “all about eyes” at the moment, but sadly for me, my obsession with eyes is because in the ongoing battle of Dollface Vs Dark Circles, the dark circles are most definitely winning. More on this next week, when the Secret Weapon I’ve ordered to vanquish my foes (hopefully) arrives, but for now, here’s Clinique with a secret weapon of their own: their new All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage rollerball.
As the name suggests, this is primarily designed to de-puff the eye area, but it also claims to help with the dreaded dark circles. It’s a cooling, refreshing fluid which will soothe tired eyes, and the rollerball pen will also deliver a gentle massage.
Lately I swear I can actually FEEL the dark circles gathering under my eyes, a bit like stormclouds on the horizon. I’m possibly imagining this, but towards the end of the day it’s like I can feel the skin around my eyes thinking to itself, “Right, that’s it, I’ve had enough of staring at this screen all day, I’m going to start looking like ass, and I’m going to do it RIGHT NOW.” In fact, I can feel it happening as I write this. This product, then, sounds mighty good to me right about now. Anyone tried it? If you haven’t, but you want to, it’s $25.50 (if it works, I’d pay double that. I’m not joking.) at Sephora.
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Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
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[Today's post is a Guest Post by Dollface reader, Laura, who shares my issues with dark circles under the eyes, and tried out Garnier's Caffeine Anti-dark Circles Roll-On to find out if it could provide a solution. Thanks, Laura!]
Laura writes:
For as long as I can remember I have had problems with dark circle and bags under my eyes. I spend a considerable amount of time in the morning trying to cover them up and use products in the evening which claim to make them disappear. This is why I was intrigued to try this product as it could potentially cover dark circles and help reduce bags, sorting out both of my problems! I bought it on a whim, having not realised that a 2 in 1 version of the caffeine roll on product even existed, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.
The product itself when applied to the under eye area is cooling and soothing and really helps to wake up sleepy eyes. It is easy to apply thanks to the roller ball mechanism and it is not messy or gloopy. I think the consistency is perfect as I find some other creams for this type of problem can be very thick and make under eye areas shiny until they fully sink in- not a good look for anyone!
Initially I was apprehensive about buying the roll on as it contained tinted moisturiser. I have very fair skin, which does not tan and tends to show flaws such as bags (etc) much worse than if I was olive skinned. Many tinted moisturisers simply do not suit my skin tone and leave me with an orangey glow. But I am pleased to say that the lighter version of this product blends into my skin and suits my tone very well, it is a nice surprise to have a product like this work on my fair skin, especially as it is only made in two shades, fair and medium.
Now for the most important part of the review, does it shift the bags and dark circles? I’m pleased to say that for me it has made a significant difference to my under eye bags and dark circles. I have used it for two weeks and found that I look more refreshed and awake as well as reducing the appearance of my dark circles. I only hope it continues to work its magic further as the results after 2 weeks has been quite wonderful, I might even look perfectly airbrushed after 4 weeks! I wish!
I very rarely feel the need to write a review of beauty products but this is just too good not to recommend. It is just what I’ve been looking for and is doing a wonderful job. The price tag is somewhere around the £9.99 mark and for a tinted moisturiser and anti dark circle serum it is a bargain. If I didn’t know it, I may even believe it to be a more premium beauty item. I am so impressed that I have bought the original version of this to apply at night time! (no point wasting the tinted version going to bed!)
If your still not convinced of how good it is, let me tell you that I no longer feel the need to wear my YSL touch éclat during the day anymore as the product is just as good if not, dare I say it, better!
You can currently buy it at Boots online and in stores for £9.99 (15ml)
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Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
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 I have to hand it to DuWop: they have some fabulous product names, don’t they? This foundation of theirs, for instance, is called Foundation of Youth, and that makes me want to run out and buy it RIGHT NOW. Must not allow my head to be turned by marketing, must not allow my head to be turned by marketing…
The product itself sounds pretty good too, it has to be said. As the name suggests, this aims to disguise some of the signs of ageing, mostly by using anti-oxidants to plump out fine lines. You’ll also notice that the tube comes with its own brush applicator, just like Yves Saint Laurent’s Radiant Touch. I loved the brush applicator on the YSL foundation at first, but after a couple of weeks of use, found myself going back to applying it with my fingers: it was just too tricky to get the right amount of product onto the brush, and I’d always end up with too much or too little, which makes me suspect a regular foundation brush is probably better for me than one that’s attached to the bottle. (Easier to clean, too.)
If you want to find out for yourself, though, this is $38 direct from DuWop.
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Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
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“I’m your biggest fan, I’ll follow you until you love me! Powder! Powderazzi!”
Whoops, sorry: you caught me in a ‘Lady Gaga’ moment there. And that song’s going to be stuck in my head ALL DAY now, too. Gah. Anyway, on with the show: this is a (relatively) new release from Benefit, and as a fan of their face powder (I’m a “Georgia” girl myself, but I’ve always fancied trying the rest of the range), I think it’s a really good idea, allowing you to try out three different products, and only pay a couple of dollars more than you’d pay for one.
If you’re worried about the size of these, I’d say you probably don’t need to be, because Benefit powder tends to last a long time: or at least it has for me. I’ve had the same tub of Georgia for years now: I bought a new one for my wedding (in, er, 2007), thinking the original was about to run out, but I STILL haven’t had to bust it out almost three years later. True, I don’t tend to wear it quite as often as I used to, but even so, although the stuff is expensive, it should last long enough to justify the price.
This set contains CORALista (blusher), Hula (bronzer) and Dallas (dust it on anywhere you want to “glow” – I’d really like to try this one!), so would make a good travel kit, too. It’s $30 and available from Benefit.
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Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
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It’s a little bit worrying that it’s only January 5th and I already have an “Absolutely-Must-Buy-ASAP” product to add to my Wish List, but when I tell you that the product in question contains the words “NARS Orgasm” and “illuminator”, you’ll probably understand why!
I’ve already talked a lot (ahem!) about my love from NARS Orgasm blusher: I have both the powder version and The Multiple, and I love the colour so much that it’s pretty much the only cheek colour I wear these days. (Note to self: be more experimental in 2010!). This new release from the brand takes that “suits everyone” pinky-peach, and uses it as an illuminator. Now, illuminators are one of my favourite products, so naturally this is a killer combination for me. It’s not cheap at $29, but I have a feeling it might just be worth it.
Like most products of this type, it can be used alone, mixed in with foundation, or to highlight the cheekbones (or anywhere else), and NARS say it will transform lacklustre skin. Sounds great to me: has anyone tried it? If you haven’t, but you want to, you can pick up a tube at www.sephora.com .
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Monday, November 30th, 2009
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 I’ve been meaning to write a review of Illamasqua’s Rich Liquid Foundation for ages now, but haven’t gotten round to it because, to be completely honest, I keep changing my mind about it. I think ultimately it’s one of those products people will either love or hate, and for me, it’s been a bit of both.
I’ve been using this foundation for about a month now, and as I said in my swatch post, I’m having to mix two different colours (RF120 and RF105) to get the right shade. This is probably the biggest drawback for me, although I’m told Illamasqua are aware of the issues with the existing shades, and are working on bringing out more, so hopefully the perfect shade will be created at some point in the future!
So, on with the review, and I’m going to start with the positives: the coverage. As the name suggests, this is a heavy-coverage foundation, in a rich, creamy formula. And, as such, it really does deliver: this covers freckles, blemishes, dark circles, you name it. I haven’t had to use a concealer with it for blemishes etc, although I have been using an under-eye concealer, because I feel the foundation is too heavy for that area. It has a tendency to crease around the eyes after a few hours, and as the skin around my eyes can be dry, it also clings to the dry patches and makes them look worse.
The skin on the rest of my face is fairly normal, and I had no issues with the foundation there: in fact, I was really pleased with it. The finish is matt (I haven’t been using powder with it because I don’t think it’s needed) and flawless, and although I know some reviewers have found it difficult to blend, I haven’t had issues there either. I’ve been applying it with a foundation brush, and although it is thick, I find it goes on smoothly and blends quite easily. A little goes a long way, too, so although it’s expensive, it will last a long time. After about four weeks of use, it hasn’t made me break out, either, which was something I’d worried about before buying it.
So far, so good, then. Such heavy coverage isn’t without its drawbacks, though. Although I find the foundation easy to apply and blend, it’s also very easy to apply too much of it, and if you’re not very careful, it can start to look caked-on. When I first bought this, there were a couple of occasions where I applied my makeup in my bedroom, as usual, and then walked into the brighter light of the bathroom, glanced in the mirror and immediately reached for my cleanser to wash it all off again because in the harsh light of day, it looked drag-queen esque. This isn’t entirely the foundation’s fault, obviously: it requires a light hand on the application, a very small amount of product, and I’ve also heard a couple of people recommend applying it with a sponge rather than a brush. (I’ve run out of sponges, so I haven’t tried this yet!)
As well as the dryness around my eyes, I’m also prone to the occasional touch of dryness around the nose and mouth, particularly when I’m stressed. When this happened, I had to abandon Illamasqua for a couple of days because even with the best efforts of my moisturizer and primer, it would still cling to the dry patches and be very visible. Mixing it with moisturiser may help here, but I’d prefer it to work right out of the box – or bottle, rather.
Ultimately, while I like this foundation, and LOVE the coverage it provides, it’s a lot of work to use and isn’t really a foundation you can put on in a hurry. It requires careful application, a good primer, and even then it’s not great on dry skin, so for me will probably be a product I’ll use on special occasions /good skin days rather than on a day-to-day basis.
If you want to try it our for yourself, it’s £19.50 and available direct from Illamasqua, although, as I noted in my swatch post, I really recommend visiting a counter first to choose your shade!
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Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
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Before my unexpected beauty blogging hiatus, I promised you a review of Illanmasuqa’s Rich Liquid Foundation, which I’ve been using for a couple of weeks now. Well, that’ll be along soon, but first of all, knowing how difficult my fellow palefaces find choosing the right shade of foundation, I thought I’d quickly show you some swatches of the two shades I’m using – RF105 and RF120.
These are the second and third palest shades Illamasqa do – or so I thought when I ordered them, anyway. I’ve since read that RF135 may be paler than the RF120 I bought, so that may be worth bearing in mind too. The very palest shade – RF100 – is a stark white that’s basically only going to be of use for editorial or theatrical purposes. The next shade up – RF105 – also appears to fall into that category at first glance, although it does have a pinkish tinge to it. It’s far too pale for even me to wear on its own, but I actually think a shade like this is really useful to have if you tend to have problems buying foundation, because it can be mixed with other, darker shades, allowing you to dial almost any foundation down to your shade. I’ve used it almost daily since I got it, and this is because the RF120, which I’d assumed would be more or less the perfect colour for me, is actually quite a bit too dark. It’s billed as a pink-toned, pale base, but I found it a little more yellowish than I’d been expecting, and too dark for me to wear it on its own. Here are both of the shades blended in a little:
(more…)
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Monday, November 9th, 2009
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It seems like a long time ago now, but a couple of weeks ago, I paid a visit to the MAC counter. I’d actually gone to have a bit of play with the Style Black collection, but they didn’t have much of it in stock and the store was absolutely slammed, so I somehow ended up walking away with this instead.
It’s MAC’s Iridescent Loose Powder, and it’s not a new product, but I love it, and have already had lots of use out of it. It comes in two different colours – I got the ‘Silver Dusk’ (as you can see above, it’s actually a pale beige colour, with silver particles in it) but I think the Golden Bronze version could be a good buy for summer, or if you have darker skin.
This is such a multi-purpose product: you can use it on its own, as a highlighter, or you can mix it with your foundation, eye-shadow etc, to give it a bit of shimmer. And, of course, you can use it anywhere you like, be it on your face, decolletage, arms, etc. I mostly use it on its own, either as an eyeshadow (no colour, but lots of shimmer!) or as a highlighter on my cheek and brow bones. The colour is fairly subtle when you first brush it on, but you can layer it up as much as you like. Because it IS so subtle, it was difficult to get a decent photo of it especially given that natural daylight is now more or less a thing of the past), but I gave it my best shot:
It’s £16.50, but apparently lasts for years. Get it at MAC.
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Monday, October 26th, 2009
Well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later, didn’t it? I mean, we’ve had vibrating mascaras for aaaaggges now, so it was long past time to move onto the next thing in makeup, and it looks like that “next thing” is… vibrating foundation. Yes, vibrating foundation.
This is Lancome’s ‘Ôscillation Powerfoundation’. It’s a mineral,powder formula, and it comes with it’s own sponge applicator, which vibrates. Now, I use mineral foundation from time to time, and when I do, I have to tie and old towel around my neck because I am absolutely incapable of applying it – or any kind of loose powder, really – without getting it all over my clothes, and anything else that happens to be in the vicinity. Personally, then, I’d be even more concerned about this than I was about vibrating mascara wands, when they first came out. As it turned out, though, the mascara turned out to be no messier than normal mascara, so hopefully that’ll be the case here, too. Indeed, Lancome claim this is “never messy”, although it’s possible they didn’t have me in mind when they wrote that.
So: why do we need our mineral foundation to vibrate? According to Lancome, it’s because the vibrating applicator will massage our skin and gently distribute the product over it, allowing “7,000 micro-vibrations per minute” to ”break down the featherweight mineral powder for seamless blendability.”
Hmm. I don’t know. I’m super-fussy about how my foundation is applied. Put it this way: I wouldn’t normally allow another HUMAN to apply it for me, so I still have my doubts about allowing a machine to do it. The product itself sounds nice, though: the foundation promises 14-hour wear, contains SPF 21 and claims to give you “newborn skin”. I could be persuaded. Could you, though? If you could, this costs $48 and you can buy it at Nordstrom, amongst other places.
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