5 Bases: I Always Go Back To

For me, foundation is the most important part of my makeup. Its the part that I feel like if I get it right, then the rest of my makeup follows. So I'm going to talk you through 5 foundation bases which are my absolute favourites! 

MAC Studio Fix Fluid 

Lets start with probably my most all time favourite. If I had to choose one foundation forever, it would be this one. This foundation just makes my skin look amazing, and flawless. I do have three bottles of this stuff, because I'm just too scared to run out. I did actually loose this foundation a couple of months back, and thats when I actually realised I couldn't live without it. So I purchased another one, then found the one I lost. The shade I use is NC15, however, I do have another shade which is more pink toned, so really not my shade, but I do sometimes use it, and mix it in with another foundation. But NC15 is just the best shade match for me. I could ramble on about this foundation forever, but its a full coverage and a matte finish. It's incredible. 

Estee Lauder Daywear BB cream

This is the lightest coverage foundation/BB cream in this post. But its amazing, I just it more in the summer months, however I do use it in the colder months too but just if I want more of a natural look, and I'm not really doing much, I reach for this one. Sometimes I do mix it with another foundation, which is coming soon... 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua 

This is the foundation that I mix in with the BB cream, together they just make the perfect shade and give a lovely dewy natural finish. Vitalumiere Aqua, just makes your skin look perfect but it doesn't have a lot of coverage, its a light to medium I would say. It's amazing packaging to travel with. Its expensive, but its Chanel at the end of the day, and it really is incredible. 

No7 Stay Perfect Superlight Foundation 

No7 is a brand that makes foundation easy, they  have a machine which matches your skin tone to the right shade. I am the shade calico, which is a perfect shade for me when I have no fake tan on. I use this foundation more in the summer months, because it is a lighter coverage. But its really light on the skin, and is a very natural finish. 

No7 Stay Perfect Superlight and Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, are very simular in packaging and in formula. I would say for me, the Chanel is more pigmented, so you don't need as much of it. But I didn't really notice until I was taking these pictures, how similar they actually are! Obviously the No7 foundation is a fraction of the price, so I would say try that one first, see if you like it, then you could try the Chanel one. 

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hours

Okay, so I think its fair to say I love my highend foundations, but I couldn't leave this one out. I would say this is just my go to drugstore foundation. Rimmel foundations on a whole are very good (apart from my recent review) *sad face*. This is a very full coverage, but its not matte, its more of a satin finish. Its really easy to blend, the colour match isn't too bad, however, it is extremely hard to match yourself in the drugstore. It's a very nice foundation, and excellent for the money.

 ♥

Review: Rimmel Fresher Skin Foundation

I don't do many reviews and I'm not really too sure why. I feel like I'm really not very good at them because I like to try lots of new products, so I feel like I don't give a very true review. However, the ones in the past have done really well on here. I have reviewed a few fake tans in my time heres one and here is a foundation review.

Today, I am going to review the new foundation from Rimmel, one of the biggest drugstore brands. You know if you know me personally, or you have been reading for a while.. that I love Rimmel, their foundations are normally amazing. I'm a big fan of their lasting finish 25 hour foundation. However, I didn't get on the best with their newest release 'fresher skin' foundation. Rimmel used to do a pot foundation, which I believe was the 'true match' before it went into just the liquid formula. I really really liked that one, but sadly it was discontinued *insert sad face*. This is why I really wanted to try this foundation, to see if it lived up to my trustly old one.

Fresher skin claims to be 'breathable' to have a 'natural finish' and not to clog pores. I agree with the fact that it has a natural finish, so that means that its not really dewy and shiny and its not completely matte. It's basically somewhere in the middle with a natural skin like finish. I wouldn't say I noticed it to be breathable or not clog my pores, it just seemed like it didn't sit right on the skin.
RRP: £7.49

Cons on the foundation:

- I found that it didn't sit right on the skin, I tried lots of different primers, no primers at all, powdering and not powdering. It just didn't work, it almost felt like it was separating on the skin, and no one wants that.
- Oxidises. This is something I personally find that drugstore foundations do quite a lot on me. The colour just changes on my skin, it goes much more orangey and darker throughout the day.
- The smell, I cannot explain this smell apart from quite chemically and perfumed.

Pros on the foundation:

- The consistency, its very light and slightly air whipped (it reminds me of), so it doesn't feel like theres loads of foundation caked onto the skin.
- The colour range, there are quite a few different shades, but I do find Rimmel to be one of the better brands when it comes to colour range. I had the shade 100 ivory. However, it does oxidise on my skin.
- It has an SPF of 15 in, which is good because its very important to protect your skin from the sun.

Overview:

I would recommend this foundation, if you want a light coverage and want it to last a few hours. But it doesn't last too long on me, it just cracks up and separates. But I personally think there are much better foundations on the market, even in the drugstore. L'Oreal True match is a great medium coverage, something lighter, the No7 BB creams or Garnier BB's. Going back to the Rimmel 'fresher skin' I also am not a massive fan of the packaging. It comes in a pot, I just feel like I would be putting bacteria in the pot, with keep having to open it, getting air in the pot and then sticking my finger in. I think a pump is much better. Please do let me know if you really like this foundation, because I might just be using it completely wrong, or your skin type is different to mine (I have oily/normal skin). I don't want to offend Rimmel either, because it is a brand I honestly adore, and their products are some of my complete must haves!

♥

August Favourites 2016

August has been a whirlwind of a month, it just has flown by, I've done so much and it just has been the best! I started off the month with a spontaneous trip to Dublin, Ireland (I promise I am working on some posts - they will be here in the next few weeks)! I have had a weekend in Bath, had my hair all cut off and styled and I just ended the month with a nightout with all my friends for the August Bank Holiday!! Anyway, thats why I haven't been posting on here too much, *slap wrists* sorry guys.

BASE: FOUNDATION
I have quite a few makeup products in this months favourites, and quite a few base products well 4, is that a lot? I guess so for one months favourites. Its been quite hot on and off for the July and August in the UK. When I say hot, that horrible sticky, sweaty hot when all you want to do is pray that the sky bursts with rain. Anyway, I have been mixing two foundation products together, one to be Estee Lauder BB Cream and the other to be my much raved about foundation Chanel Vitalumia Aqua Foundation. Both are light/medium coverages, but I just find mixed together gives a gorgeous coverage and dewy base. It's just what I have been reaching for this whole month. I do like to switch up my foundations depending on the colour of my skin, hense why most months there is a foundation in the monthly favourites. Basically I love these foundations, and together they are very expensive, but I would say if I had to pick one, my favourite would be the Chanel Vitalumia Aqua Foundation, its just gorgeous, feels so lightweight but has such buildable coverage, I don't think you could go overboard with this one.

BASE: CONTOUR
I have then been trying to find my cheekbones with the Clinique Chubby Contour Stick I got this product back in April, and I did like it, but I just thought it was one of those products I wouldn't use much. However, I have been loving cream bronzer/contour this month in particular. It looks so scary in the stick, but it blends like a dream... seriously. Also, it doesn't give anything too dramatic, it looks very natural and is a lovely colour.

BASE: CONCEALER
The concealer I have been loving this month is an oldie, well it's not too old, but it's one I have never really stopped loving, its just one I forget about and I don't really rave about enough. The Maybelline Anti-Age Eye Eraser, I just absolutely love this, you twist it from the bottom and then product comes out from the top of the sponge. It makes the skin so flawless, I use it under my eyes and a little bit on my forehead and chin.

Bondi Sands Dark Tan Moose
I go in stages with tanning, some times I just cannot be bothered and I embrace my paleness, and other times I just want to be a confident bronze goddess. This month was the later. My favourite all time tan was the St. Tropez Express Tan, WAS. I think that I prefer the Bondi Sands one more, for a few reasons, mainly the colour is super natural, it is more of an olive tan than an orange one. Even though I love the way I apply the St. Tropez and I do like the colour and I have done a whole blogpost dedicated to it, so click here to read! Bondi is just much more natural and I do like the smell. It's easy to apply and I think its a fall proof tan, if you are new to tanning or are just a tan junky, try this!

Soap and Glory Exfoliating Gloves
Basically I have discovered these because of the previous paragraph. When you tan, you need to exfoliate because you need a clean smooth surface for the tan to be applied. So I picked these gloves up from Boots and they are so easy to use. I just put them on both of my hands and squeeze some shower gel in them and rub them over my body to exfoliate.

Chanel Coco Mademosielle Shower Gel
This is probably the most expensive shower gel I am ever going to talk about. Retailing at £34, it is ridiculous, but such a luxury. Its great for someone who loves Chanel fragrance, and especially the popular Chanel Mademoiselle. Chanel Mademoiselle is just my signature scent, I love it. Whenever I smell it I just get reminded of so many beautiful memories. It really is gorgeous, it is a slightly floral, but very feminine scent. Anyway the shower gel, oh my... I love it! I only use this in the morning and only a tiny little bit, for obvious reasons. But its great for layering the scent, so the fragrance lasts longer. I would keep this in mind for Christmas, if someone likes Chanel fragrances, and you don't want to spend too much on them, or you always get them the fragrance and you want an alternative.

Zoella Girl Online Book 
This book was bought for me last Christmas, and its just been sat on my bedroom table, waiting to get read... and this month was the month! I haven't read a novel for quite a long time, and I really enjoyed just having such a page turner again. Its really got me into reading, I just missed the way a book can make your imagination run wild! I don't want to send any spoilers out, but its about a girl Penny, who has a blog called 'Girl Online' and she seems to be struggling with being a teenage girl, and ends up going to New York through the family business and in New York actually meets the love of her life... Noah. But Noah has a secret, which could break them?! I literally cannot wait to go to Waterstones and purchase the next Girl Online... ON TOUR!

♥

Review: Estee Lauder Double Wear & Revlon Colour Stay

I have been trying out yet another foundation, I don't really know what goes through my head. But I always want to find the best foundation. I believe that if your makeup base is good, all the other makeup you apply will look better. It all starts with the base. I have found a high end foundation and a drugstore foundation that is very similar.

Stop Rambling Helen and get on with it...

Let's start with the high end foundation, Estee Lauder Double Wear!
Before I purchased this, I read lots of reviews, watched lots of youtube videos and found information out from the Estee Lauder consultants. I would say if you aren't sure on this foundation, go to the counter and ask to be colour matched and get a sample to try. This foundation does retail at £30, so you don't want to waste your money. However, with Estee Lauder you can return a product if you aren't happy with it. It is a company policy of theres.

Double Wear is a very full coverage foundation, it doesn't transfer, so it won't smudge and go on your clothes. It does also last a very long time on the skin. The foundation doesn't have a pump at all, which is annoying because every time you use the product you have to tip the product out. I am not 100% sure but I don't think there are pumps available to purchase either.

I am the shade Ivory Nude 1N1. I can't stress enough though, get a colour match. I always used to think I was being a pain asking for a colour match but at the end of the day, it's the consultants job and they should enjoy doing it as it is their job! Also, if they apply a colour to your face, and you don't think it is right, please say! Some consultants will just apply any colour to your face, because they might not have your shade in stock or they just simply can't be bothered. They are trying to get a sale at the end of the day. There is 29 shades to pick from, so there is a shade for everybody! 

Double Wear is a very popular foundation, and is Estee Lauders most popular foundation. It is a matte finish, and for me it did look very flat on my skin. I do like a matte finish because I get shinny throughout the day from having oily skin. But I did find the foundation very flat. Applying this foundation is quite hard also, I'm not sure why I found it so hard to apply, but it just left lots of brush marks in my skin, however once I went over and dapped my skin with my beauty blender it was fine. I think it also was a bit of a faf trying to apply because it took quite a bit of time with applying with a brush, blending with the beauty blender and getting it all buffed into the skin. It's an extra few minutes to the makeup routine. 

Now onto the Drugstore alternative, Revlon Colour Stay!

There is two different types of versions of this foundation, which I think is very good. There is an oily/normal and a normal/dry version for the different skintypes. Mine is a oily/normal. It is the most full coverage foundation from the drugstore that I have tried and is also a matte finish, this is why I am comparing it to the double wear. 

It says it lasts 24 hours on the skin, which firstly I don't believe is true. I don't really know who is going to need a foundation on for 1 day! But anywho, it does last a good 8 hours on the skin. Which is all I need really, but the Estee Lauder one I would say lasts longer and would be the one I would wear if I was going on a night out or wanted the foundation to look flawless all day. 

The application of this foundation, is quite similar to double wear but I don't think it is as difficult to apply as double wear. I will say with the Colour stay once you apply it on your face you haven't got much time to play with because it sets into place and doesn't budge.

I am the shade 'buff' which for me is the perfect shade, but because it is a drugstore foundation, there isn't a consultant colour matching you. So it is very difficult. The only advise I can give is to use the testers (if there isn't a tester ask for one) and apply a bit on your face, then go and stand outside or away from the cosmetic lights to see the true shade. There is 9 shades available, so not a large amount of colours but enough to find a shade for your skin-tone and colour. 

This foundation doesn't have a pump either, and you cannot buy a pump for this foundation. But it is a lot cheaper than double wear. Colourstay retails at £12.99, so it's not as bad as a £30 foundation not having a pump. 

To conclude, I believe that they both are amazing foundations, and if you are on a budget the Colourstay is a very good foundation that will give you a good full coverage finish and will last for the day. Whereas double wear is a very full coverage foundation, lasts all day and doesn't budge. It also is a premium foundation, so it's a bit more luxury. The bottle is a frosted glass so it will look gorgeous on your dressing table. I love both foundations, and I use both foundations! 

♥

M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15: Review

Recently there has been some very strange things going on... I don't know what is happening to me really, I really don't. But let me take you back about 2/3 months ago. When I decided to purchase the M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid. To me this is the foundation that everyone goes on about, it's always the one people talk about, rant or rave, either you love it or hate it. So I took the plunge and I wanted to try it out for myself, therefore here I am today writing this post.

The reason I say it's odd because M.A.C foundations just aren't one of things I really get excited about when I walk into M.A.C, it's always the colours of things, eg; eyeshadows and lipsticks. But I think I have branched onto this foundation and the purchase of this foundation because I have a slight addiction to M.A.C. But for years and years I always thought it was just way too expensive (not saying I don't think that now) but I seem to have more money now from working and what not. Whereas 15 year old Helen, was extremely poor and just spent any money she had on sweeties.

On paper it seems the perfect foundation for me, and I have no idea why I was so apprehensive about buying it. If you don't know what I like in a foundation, click here to find out!

Studio Fix is very full coverage, has a matte finish like most foundations that are full coverage. I have oily/combination and some what normal skin so I like matte finishes because I hate all my natural oils coming through my foundation. Also I do like a full coverage, just because I hate the reddness and veins on my cheeks and another plus is it covers any imperfections that I probably have on my face, bonus. So on paper it really is the best foundation for me.

However, I really didn't like this foundation when I got it, I thought it smelt awful and I still think it smells disgusting. But I had read so many reviews and heard so many people say the smell wasn't very nice, and M.A.C foundations in general don't smell that good. I really cannot explain the smell, I just really don't like it. But once the foundation is actually applied to the skin, you can't smell it, so that isn't really a big problem. It didn't come with a pump which I find ridiculous, you spend £22 on a foundation and it doesn't come with a pump, outrageous. Finally, the most important reason why I didn't like it was I think I got colour matched wrong, so therefore when I got it I didn't wear it because I didn't want the wrong colour foundation on my face... obviously, I don't think anyone would. I got the shade NC15.

Oh how times have changed, I still stand by all of those comments I made in the previous paragraph. Apart from the last one, I don't why but one day I just applied it again, and I changed my mind over the foundation. It really is one of the nicest foundations, and for some reason it is the correct colour now, I don't know how it wasn't before. I haven't really got anymore tanned or less tanned since I tried it the first time. But the main thing is that it is the correct colour now. It leaves my skin looking the best it ever does when I wear this, and I believe that is the main reason for wearing foundation. You want to look as flawless as you possibly can. It really does last me all day as well, I have tested this foundation out also with a primer underneath and without one. The primer I used underneath the foundation was the Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer which for the record is an excellent primer. Back to the foundation, it really did stay on my face and didn't crease (which most foundations do on my skin - around the nose area). The foundation does have an SPF of 15, which is a pretty average SPF in a foundation, but at least it does have an SPF, protect your skin people!

This is picture of me wearing the foundation. 

Obviously if you don't like matte finishes or full coverages with foundations, you won't like this at all. Also, if you were like me and your M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid is sitting in a pile of foundations not being used, please go and get it after you've finished reading this and give it another shot.

Thanks for reading, speak soon my lovers

♥

My Favourite Things

Hello, Ola, Bonjour, Ahoj..

I wanted to write a post about all my favourite all time beauty/skincare/fragrance bits. This will give you an idea of more about me and what I like. I know I have done posts like 'my top 5' but this is just the one favourite, if I had to pick one favourite it would be...

Makeup:

Base

Primer - Benefit Porefessional

Foundation - No7 Beautifully Matte

Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection

Bronzer - Soap & Glory Solar Powder

Setting powder - Rimmel Stay Matte

Blusher - MUA blusher - lolly 

Highlighter - MAC Soft & Gentle

Eyes

Mascara - Lancome Grandiose 

Eyeshadow - Urban Decay Naked Palette (original)

Eyeliner - Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer 

Eyelid primer - MAC Painterly Paint Pot

Eyebrows

Pencil - Soap & Glory Archery Pencil

Powder - MAC eyeshadow (Omega)

Brow gel - L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper

Lips

Lipstick - Rimmel Kate Moss 08

Lipgloss - Avon Ultra Glazewear (Iced Pink)

Lip liner - Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner (063 Eastend Snob)

Skincare:

Micellar Water - Garnier Micellar Water for Sensitive Skin

Makeup Wipes - No7 Beautiful Skin

Cleansing Balm - The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil

Cleanser - Estee Lauder Purifying mask

Toner - The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner

Exfoliator: No7 exfoliator for Normal/Oily skin

Face Mask: Yes to Cucumber Calming Facial Mask

Serum - N07 Pore Minimising Serum

Moisturiser - La Roche Posay - Anti Reddness moisturiser

Body Butter: Soap & Glory Righteous butter

Body Scrub: The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Scrub

Fake Tan: Rimmel Sun Shimmer Self Tan Mousse (medium matte)

Fragrance:

Chanel Mademosielle

♥