EX1 Cosmetics Pure Crushed Mineral Powder Foundation M300

Continuing on reviews of products that I've completely used up, this next (very) overdue post is a review of EX1 Cosmetics Mineral Powder Foundation.

Mineral foundation is one makeup product I have to have in my stash, it's like a safety net for my acne-prone skin as even though I love my liquids, I can't go wrong with a good mineral base.

EX1 is quite a new brand and one I'd not heard of before until Caroline Hirons mentioned it on her blog. I had a discount code for Beauty Expert and needed a replacement so purchased the shade M300 which is a perfect fit for my NC40/42 skin.

EX1 Cosmetics Mineral Powder Foundation M300

EX1 Cosmetics Mineral Powder Foundation M300 - heavy swatch (sorry for the blurred pic)

EX1 Cosmetics Mineral Powder Foundation M300 - blended out

It's a light mineral powder consistency that doesn't feel overly fine or flyaway like a HD powder. As a foundation this product did not do it for me as it's too sheer and offers hardly any coverage but it does excel as a finishing powder to give a natural look and set my makeup.

Ingredients:

Mica, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Squalane (derived from olive oil), Zinc Stearate, Magnesium Carbonate, Lauroyl Lysine, Glyceryl Caprylate, P-Anisic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Calcium Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Tourmaline [+/- (May Contain) Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ci 77019 (Mica), 77491, 77492, 77499 (Iron Oxides), 77007 (Ultramarine Blue), 77742 (Manganese Violet), 77289 (Chromium Hydroxide Green), 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens), 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide), 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), 75470 (Carmine), 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), 15850 (Red 7 Lake), 45410 (Red 28 Lake).

I bought this from www.beautyexpert.co.uk

NARS Sheer Glow in Barcelona

My first post back is a review of a much loved product - NARS Sheer Glow foundation. This initially came onto my radar years ago when Lollipop26 (now Buy Now Blog Later) raved about it on her blog/youtube channel.

I have been using this for a while now (I've just finished my bottle) and have to say that for me this foundation has definitely lived up to the hype.

I had this applied on counter - Sheer Glow on one side and Sheer Matte on other and went away to see how they both looked later on that day. At first I preferred how Sheer Matte looked, but it was actually the Sheer Glow that wore better as the day progressed so a while later I purchased this in Barcelona.

I find Barcelona to be a perfect shade as it's got a good yellow tone that's really great for evening out the skin and toning down any redness (which I have from old acne marks).

The texture is a runny liquid, so for a me a foundation brush is the best method of applying; my favourite brushes to use with this are Lancome's foundation brush, Ruby and Millie foundation brush, Louise Young LY34 and the MAC 159 (a fab brush for a more airbrushed look).

Application is smooth, and blends into a natural finish that's not matte but has a very tiny amount of radiance. The coverage is medium (not sheer as the name may suggest) and buildable which I like as I prefer better coverage. Even though it's not quite full coverage (as some of my darker marks show through a little), it's one of those bases where I don't feel the need to use a concealer afterwards, so often I skip it, and sometimes I skip the powder too.

Another thing I like is that the better coverage doesn't make the finish look flat; if you've used something like Makeup Forever HD or Laura Mercier Silk Creme (both of which I quite liked), they do not enliven the skin as much so I compensate by using more radiance powders and bronzers to lift the finish.

Bare-faced on the left (just moisturiser), Sheer Glow applied on the right.

This definitely is my go-to when I want a more flawless look that doesn't oxidise (I hate it when bases turn orange) and I've worn it day-to-day, going out and is my default base for special occasions.

Overall a great, fail-safe option, which I'm now missing since finishing about a week ago.

narscosmetics.co.uk

The Body Shop All-In-One BB Cream 02

I am somewhat intrigued by this whole BB phenomenon and have dabbled in a few variants, the latest of which is The Body Shop's All-In-One BB Cream*.

I think of BB creams as some sort of tinted moisturiser hybrid and to be honest saying 'BB' on the packaging does not mean much to me but I do appreciate new formulations and will happily explore the actual product.

The Body Shop's offering is a light cream texture that has colour-adapting technology, that releases pigments when blended into the skin, supposedly matching your skin colour well.

This comes in 3 shades (01, 02 & 03), and I have the BB Cream for medium skin tone (02) 

It starts off as a light, white-ish cream and once you start blending it the colour changes and blends into the skin.

My skin is yellow-toned and I feel this shade goes a bit too tan/a tiny bit orange on my skin (you can see this a little in the pics).

The formula feels quite hydrating and a bit dewy-finished, so if you have drier skin this may be better as I use a bit of powder on top as my skin is a bit combination in places.
This offers little in the way of coverage - it evens things out a bit but as it's sheer doesn't do much to cover my acne marks so I use a separate concealer on those. This falls a little short on perfecting qualities as I feel I get a better evenness when using a tinted moisturiser product.
On a positive note my blush seems to stay better on top of this which is an issue I have when using blusher over some foundations.

Overall this doesn't blow me away as I like a bit more coverage and the colour isn't quite right on me.

*PR Sample

W3LL People Narcissist Supernatural Foundation

W3LL People Narcissist Supernatural Foundation

I am increasingly trying to find more natural base alternatives with the hope of if I keep everything as pure as possible, it might help bring some harmony to my acne-prone skin. I do find this tough because apart from mineral makeup, I haven't come across a good alternative for a cream/liquid foundation from a natural brand.

After seeing this post on London MakeUp Girl, it drew my attention to a promising sounding product by a brand I've not heard of before - W3LL People and their Narcissist Supernatural Foundation. I am quite fond of stick foundations (takes me back to the Maybelline 3 in 1 which was one of my first foundations), although not a great deal of brands produce them. Laura Mercier did an excellent one but unfortunately it's been discontinued.

I recently made a trip to Content Beauty in London so I could test this in person. It's been a while since I've visited the store so I had a good browse in the Aladdin's cave of natural beauty.

W3LL People Narcissist Supernatural Foundation No.5

I bought the No.5 shade which is a perfect match for my NC40/42ish skin as it has a good base of yellow tones and doesn't look orange.

Natural Light

Flash

Natural light. Blended into skin

Flash. Blended into skin

As you can see it blends in very nicely and the foundation is not discernible on my skin looking completely natural.

The texture of this is interesting as it's creamy but not in an emollient way, rather slightly drier cream but not hard and waxy. It's quite deceptive as initially you might think it will look cakey but it doesn't, it's just blends seamlessly into the skin leaving a natural soft finish that is not dewy. This doesn't require any powdering but as I do get shine breakthrough on the t-zone I do use some translucent powder to finish. The coverage of this is buildable from sheer to medium. It evens out the skin tone nicely and offers some coverage of blemishes but I find some of my more deeper coloured marks it doesn't cover completely. It feels comfortable on the skin and I haven't experienced any adverse effects.

I use my fingers or a flat synthetic brush (like my Shu No.10) to apply as anything softer and I can't pick up enough product to get the medium coverage I prefer.

The staying power is very good as it lasts the whole day (I used this on a recent hot day and it held up well), and the colour stays true. I find I don't need to keep doing powder touch-ups as I don't get as oily on the t-zone, today I didn't bother and I was only a little shiny by the end of the day.

It's great to see a natural formula that works as well (if not better) then a more chemical based one as it's been easier for me to find this in skincare, but not so much in makeup. W3LL People has definitely changed this.

Ingredients:

Sunflower oil* infused with green tea,** reishi mushroom,*** and wild harvested bayberry; castor oil, beeswax,**** silica, essential oils, safflower oil, pomegranate extract, tocopherol [+/- titanium dioxide, iron oxides, mica].
*certified organic, stellar; **certified organic, qai; ***certified organic, oregon tilth; ****certified organic, kosher keunen.

This is £28 from Content

Hissyfit Saving Face SPF 50 Review

Depending on what moisturiser I am using, many of them don't include an SPF so I have to apply a separate sunscreen or use a base that has a good SPF.  I don't really like applying layers of product in the summer as it can feel a bit heavy and I do get rather shiny.

I had heard of Hissyfit a while back and the brand had stuck in my mind as it is one of the few brands I have came across that have a high SPF in a base colour product.

Saving Face is marketed as a 3 in 1 product as it is a foundation, SPF 50 sunscreen and has anti-aging properties in one. It is a more natural base as it includes ingredients such as anti-aging Australian Daisy cehami, green tea and pomegranate.

Hissyfit Saving Face - Fresh

It is a quite a thick cream, a bit sunscreen like in texture, and coloured like a foundation, providing sheer to medium coverage which is better then some tinted moisturisers I've tried. I would say it has similar coverage to something like Laura Mercier Oil-free Tinted Moisturiser but is less dewy-looking (with the LM, powder is a must for me). It's easy to slap on and blend with fingers so great for a quick face.

I have the shade Fresh which has a more tan, less yellow tone which works ok for summer but I think Sand may be a better match as that seems more yellow (I bought this online and that website didn't have Sand).  The tones are warm and leave no gray/whiteish cast on the skin.

The finish is natural but slightly dewy, so I use some translucent powder to tone this down as I do have a shiny t-zone which only gets more shiny in summer (I really must look into some mattifying products). I still use a bit of concealer as it doesn't quite cover spots/marks although it does help to even the skin tone well.

Overall it does make quite a nice alternative to using a separate sunscreen and foundation (I still use a light moisturiser underneath) but I would probably like it more if it felt a bit lighter as it does have a sunscreen like feel.

Lily Lolo Foundation: Butterscotch, Warm Honey and Cookie Swatches

I love a good mineral foundation; I don't feel the need to worry if my foundation is clogging my pores and they are quite amazing in the way they blend naturally into the skin. I am still sorely tempted by liquid foundations and the majority in my collection are liquid, but I do love the mineral variety and usually alternate between the two.

Before Christmas I bought some sample size pots of foundation from Lily Lolo in which you get a generous amount that lasts a few weeks of use.
I bought the shades Butterscotch, Warm Honey and Cookie.

My skin has yellow undertones (in MAC I vary between NC40-42) and also because of my acne scarring/spots I have marks that are quite red in colour, I like to get a good base shade that counteracts this redness.

Butterscotch

natural light

with flash

Butterscotch appears to be the lightest shade of the three and has the strongest yellow tones (the yellow leans ever so slightly cooler). I actually prefer using this shade more towards the centre of my face (cheeks, middle of forehead) rather then all over as these areas tend to have slightly more redness then the rest of my face, and this shade is good for counteracting that. Overall it is a little bit light for me but I can still use up this sample as it blends well into the skin. 

Warm Honey

natural light

with flash

Warm Honey is a slightly more warmer toned beige which still has yellow tones that are not as strong as those of Butterscotch. In terms of light and dark, I think it appears slightly darker then Butterscotch only because it leans a tiny bit warmer in tone. Warm Honey is a better match for my skintone and blends well on all areas of my face, and also matches well into my neck area which is a little lighter then my face (sometimes if I try to use something that matches my face, it ends up looking darker then my neck area and therefore a bit odd).

Cookie

Cookie is a little bit darker then Warm Honey, and is the more warmer toned beige. Even though it is ever so slightly darker I think I can get away with it as it blends well although I think I would prefer this shade for the summer.

Heavily swatched L-R Butterscotch, Warm Honey, Cookie

Blended out

Heavily swatched they look so obviously light on my hand but when blended they look natural and the differences between the shades are very subtle, although Cookie seems to be the one that matches my hand, but when I apply them onto my face Warm Honey is the best match.
 
The foundation itself has fairly good coverage (semi-sheer to medium) so I do still need concealer, and is excellent for evening out the skin.  I can be a bit more heavy handed with it and it still looks natural and not powdery/cakey. Another reason this is becoming a favourite is that it lasts longer on me then other mineral foundations I have used in the past - I still need to powder my t-zone but generally it wears well throughout the day without becoming greasy or turning orange. 

I have just ordered the full-size of Warm Honey as my little sample has almost run out and I have enjoyed using this. It is definitely one of the better mineral foundations I have tried.

Une MakeUp Review: Mineral Foundation, Skin Glow Pencil & Lip-Toned Colour

I like the concept of Une makeup, it is clean and fuss-free as well using more natural ingredients in the products. I bought a few products a while back from Superdrug to try so here are my thoughts.

100% Mineral Foundation

I am a fan of mineral makeup, being acne-prone I feel I don't need to worry if mineral foundations are clogging my pores and making me breakout. They seem to help keep my skin in check so I was interested to see how this fares.

I've got the shade M08, which is quite yellow based and blends well into the skin. I would say this shade for me is just a tiny bit dark if I use it heavily, otherwise it's not a bad shade match (my neck area is slightly lighter then my face).  The coverage is light-medium so it's not good for covering up any blemishes but it does even out the skintone and looks natural. It's finely milled and has no noticeable shimmer/glowy particles as it's more of a natural finish. I usually use my Ecotools retractable kabuki to apply this or my ELF powder brush if I want more coverage. It lasts well throughout the day but I do touch up my t-zone as it gets oily (this happens to me with most foundations). Overall it's a good natural and lightweight foundation but personally I like more coverage so I probably wouldn't repurchase it.

Lip-Toned Colour L05

L05 is a soft warm pink shade that brightens my lips up a little and I would imagine could suit a variety of skintones.
I really like this lipstick, it's quite creamy and the shade is flattering and just adds a good wash of colour that isn't too sheer or too full-on. They are also a bit moisturising so don't dry out my lips either.
Being a bit of a neutral lippie-lover the Lip-Toned Colours are the items that appeal to me most in the range so I would buy more shades.

Swatched along with the Skin Glow pencil:

Skin Glow Pencil in G04

I am not sure what the purpose of this pencil is as the name isn't exactly clear but I've been using this as a concealer as I quite like the precision of a pencil to dot onto small spots.
It's a bit creamy and blends well but it doesn't really last on me and even though smooth, the texture isn't quite creamy or dense enough for serious spot concealment. I think this would be better as a brightening eye pencil to line the lower lash line with. Overall it's not bad but it's not for me.

In general I think it's a bit of a hit and miss with this range but there are definitely some items worth checking out.

Burberry Makeup Haul & FOTD

Last week I checked out the Burberry counter in Harrods for the first time and picked up a few bits. It really is worth seeing this in store as I wasn't sure what to expect but was surprised at how everything swatched in comparison to how it looked in the pan/tube. I bought the Sheer Eyeshadow in No.7 Taupe Brown (£22), Lip Cover in No.5 Heather Rose (£22), and the Eye Definer in No.4 Midnight Blue (£15).

Sheer Eyeshadow in No.7 Taupe Brown:

This is a beautiful dark taupe matt shade which almost looks grey but you can make out a hint of brown in the shade. The texture is very soft and smooth and excellently pigmented (which is a surprise since it is named 'Sheer Eyeshadow'). Along with my Rouge Bunny Rouge shadows, these are up there in the quality stakes. Even though this is matt, it doesn't look chalky at all and has a great depth to it. I can't convey how much I love this as I don't own anything like it. Sometimes with taupey or brown shades they blend too much into the natural colouring of my eyelids (as my eye area is darker then the rest of my face), but I am pleased to say that this does show up. Overall a great eyeshadow and I can definitely see this becoming a staple of mine as it looks softer then black for creating smoky looks.

Eye Definer in No.4 Midnight Blue

A sharpener is supplied in the box

This is a deep, dark blue shade with a slight metallic sheen which stops it looking flat and again like the eyeshadow has a good level of pigmentation.
It applies quite well, but doesn't have as much glide as something like Urban Decay's 24/7 liners although it is still slightly creamy and give quite an intense colour. It lasted well throughout the day without migrating anywhere else on the eye.


Lip Cover in No.5 Heather Rose:

The lipsticks, along with the eyeshadows are probably my favourite items from the range. There are a lot of lovely natural shades (which are right up my street), along with a few more brighter ones that it was hard to pick just one.  In the end I went for Heather Rose as I don't think I have anything similar to this. The shade is a peachy/pinky neutral, great for pairing with more dramatic eyes. The Lip Cover lipsticks are light, silky and have a slight glossy sheen to them so the colour doesn't look flat but still manages to give a good level of colour to the lips. The formula feels quite moisturising as well so even when it wore off, my lips didn't feel dry.

swatches:

L-R eye definer, taupe brown e/s, Heather Rose. Natural light

flash

I was also given a small folded card which has some little samples of a few other shades of the Lip Cover and also 2 shades of the Sheer Fluid Foundation.  I have been using the sample of the foundation in Trench No.7 for the past 4 days (I was surprised how long this little sachet lasts) which is a good match for my skin tone as it is slightly more yellow based and doesn't have any ashy undertones. It is quite a creamy liquid that blends well into the skin and gives a natural finish. I think that it does seem to slightly diffuse the look of pores and fines lines so giving a slightly more plumper appearance. The coverage is sheer-medium, so I did use a little concealer to cover blemishes but overall it does a good job of evening the skin and I was surprised with this as I was expecting it to be a lot sheerer. Lasts well throughout the day, but I do use some translucent powder to set it as I have an oily t-zone. So far I am rather liking this foundation, and may consider buying the full size (once I get through my drawer full of other foundations).

I've done a simple look with the items:

My face is a bit darker then my neck and I haven't blended any foundation down!

the pic has washed the colour out slightly

What I've used:
Burberry Sheer Fluid Foundation Trench No.7
Undereye Concealer - Ellis Faas Concealer No.5
Burberry Taupe Brown eyeshadow on lid, blended into crease and also applied to lower lash line
Burberry Eye Definer Midnight Blue on upper lash line
Mascara - NYC Sky High Mascara in Carbon
Powder - MUFE HD
Blush - a very light dusting of NARS Douceur blush
Burberry Lip Cover Heather Rose (for some reason it looks like I've applied lipliner but I haven't used any).

I also have my eye on the Light Glow Blush in Russet Blush No.1 which is a rosy brown type of shade. I had this applied on counter and it lasted well as it was still visible when I got home. The SA said as well as the lipsticks, that the mascara is a bestseller as well (in fact a customer next to me bought four) which has piqued my interest so I might try this next.

Overall I am really impressed with the range, the quality is excellent and I can see myself become a bit obsessed with the eyeshadows and lipsticks, although at £22 a pop, I will get a few more bits gradually rather then all at once.