First impressions and test driving Revolution

After having a cheeky purchase of a few Revolution products I thought I'd give them a little road test over one day and give my thoughts! I've started to slowly work my way down my friend Rachel's foundation recommendation list and the Revolution Fast Base Stick Foundation was the first one to give a go. I haven't tried any stick foundations before but the whole swipe, blend and go situation really appealed to me. Anything to make getting ready in the morning that little bit quicker. Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer - other than the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer has any high street concealer been as hyped up? I think not. But they've never had it in my shade! So when I saw there was one left I practically lunged at the stand in case anyone got in my way and took it (there was literally no one else there). Then I saw the Revolution Liquid Highlighter Drops. I've never tried this kind of highlight before but always admired the Cover FX drops from afar. Although the shade Unicorn Elixir was the most appealing sounding, it was purple and I don't think I'd have got much wear out of it. So instead I went for Liquid Starlight, a pink shimmer.

I can't tell you how fun it was to draw this foundation on my face. It was like colouring in! I did a few swipes and then blended it with a brush, it took no time at all and gave some pretty good coverage. There were a few areas that I just wanted a bit more but it was nothing a few more swipes and blending couldn't fix. The concealer has THE biggest applicator I've ever used, and that was perfect for under my eyes. Again a few swipes and I blended it in with a mini real techniques sponge which I also picked up recently. I loved this for concealer, it could really get to places I struggle to with my normal one such as around my nose and on the inner corners of my eyes. Back to the concealer, good coverage, not massively full but good enough, and C3 was a great shade match for me. Last but not least the highlighter. YOU DO NOT NEED A LOT OF THIS. I put a single tiny blob on the back of my hand and I used two taps of it. This spreads like wildfire, but looks stunning. So sheeny and metallic I don't own anything like this already. I blended it out with the same tiny sponge and it worked really well.

But how will it last throughout the day?

10.30am

My first thoughts were 'oh my god what has happened to this highlighter?!'. My nose and cupids bow had both kind of set and were no longer glowy but pink blobs of glitter, it looked stupid. I rubbed it in and it was fine but I think I might avoid putting it on these places in the future. It wasn't too bad on my cheekbones but it had gone a bit chunky on one side - nothing that a little dabbing couldn't sort out! Foundation and concealer still look great. Nothing to report other than that my skin shows no signs of getting oily just yet - an amazing sign.

12pm

Starting to get a little bit oily but not so much I was in serious need of a blot. Other than that my base is still looking good. As for the highlighter it's shining bright on my cheekbones but after dispursing the mess earlier it's totally gone from my nose and cupids bow. But to be fair I don't think my usual powder highlight lasts long there anyway.

2.15pm

Not much more oily than I was earlier but I gave myself a bit of a blot to take off some of the shine. Everything still looks okay but I don't think I properly blended one side of my highlight because I've ended up with a really harsh line by my eye where it begins.

4pm

Exactly the same as 2.15pm

8pm

After going out for a meal I came back to take my makeup off and was very impressed with what I found! Everything looked exactly the same from when I last did a blot and check at 2.15pm. Foundation was still sticking around as was the concealer and although it was a little chunky, the highlighter was still shining bright. If I had one complaint it's that my skin was going a bit dry (which never happens!) but it didn't feel like all the moisture was sucked out of it, just not oily.

Overall, I really liked all three of the products. my least favourite was the highlighter just because it went a bit weird but that being said it might have been my application. The foundation was the star of the show I think 

What's on my product wishlist

I could easily spend so much money on all things beauty it's actually now beyond a joke. So in an attempt to stop my spending I thought I'd list all of the products that are on my wishlist which is mainly made up of things which are a little on the pricy side which I'd buy for/on a special occasion.

One thing that I've always wanted to try (and I should really get myself down to a counter) is the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. It's one of those products that everyone and their dog raves about but it's so darn expensive that I don't want to get my purse out and take the plunge in case it's not quite right for me. One day I'll go to a counter and get myself a tester but until then I'll admire from afar!

Over the last couple of years there have been a few Nars eyeshadow palettes that I eyed up and very nearly bought but for one reason or another it wasn't meant to be. The Nars Unwanted Palette literally looks like a thing of dreams, mattes, shimmers and glitters in warm shades, I mean can we not. That's my idea of heaven. But it came out after I bought the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette and I couldn't justify the purchase of another warm toned palette. But everyone raves about Nars eyeshadows and I feel like one day I will take the plunge and add one of their palettes to my collection. (Side note: They all look like quite a petite size which would be good to travel around with - I might be wrong but that's the vibe I'm getting).

Last year I achieved one of my goals (small goals) and bought a Dior lipstick (which I cannot get enough of) and another thing I'd love is a Chanel Lipstick. Not only do the bullets look amazing but the product inside is pretty good too. I think one day when something exciting happens I'll buy one for myself as a little treat but for now I'll just look at swatches and dream.

Glossier You. Oh what a dream it would be to have this perfume in my stash. I got a mini sample with a Glossier order I made months ago and to be honest I haven't stopped thinking about how nice it smells. It's what I'd call a natural smell, kind of florally but it could be mistaken for your usual smell (side note: the bottle is really pretty). I usually wait until I've finished one perfume before buying another and only have two on the go at once so when I'm in the market for another perfume to fill the gap I think that this would be the one!

What's on your product wishlist?

Just going to give a mini shoutout to my instagram @abzisfabz - why not give it a follow! 

My go-to evening base

As I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago (here) my 'everyday face' has become very minimal and basically a slap it all on and run out the door kind of situation. But on a weekend and on the rare occasions where I leave the house in the evening I've been going all out and putting all of the products on my face. So I thought I'd share what products I've been using when I want a full coverage, 'look at how much makeup I have on my face' situation. Enjoy!

After making the discovery that I actually have a very dehydrated face my choice of primers has seriously changed. I've gone from one that is very silicone-y and makes my face very matte to something tacky and semi-hydrating to plump up my skin before foundation. Back in December in my Look Fantastic Advent Calendar I got a mini This Works In Transit Camera Close-Up and I love it. It's sticky (in a good way) and it gives my skin a boost of moisture - but it's also quite pricy for a primer so if anyone has any cheaper dupes for it please let a girl know!

Foundation wise I've been using the Maybelline Superstar 24 hour Foundation in. I like it because it's full coverage but I'm still on the fence and not 100% sold on it. I might be putting too much on or something but it likes to collect and not fully blend into my skin. Also it doesn't last as long as I would expect a full coverage to do. I think I need to play about with it a bit more with different primers and brushes - I will get this to work!

When I'm going on out on my base there are three concealers that are my go-tos. The first is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Peach which I use underneath my foundation. It makes my under-eyes look a smidge lighter and brighter and I prefer my face when I use this product. Then on top of my foundation I go in with the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer (I've mentioned by love for this concealer here), blend it out with my Real Techniques Sponge and finish off my concealer journey with the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Light Neutral. I'm obsessed with this concealer, it's my all time favourite. Full coverage, tick. Crease proof, tick. Cracking colour, tick tick tick. This concealer trio is perfect for me.

Before I go in with the powder I dab a bit of the Pixi Glow Booster on the tops of my cheekbones, my cupids bow and the end of my nose. It gives me a bit of extra glow and I think it emphasises my powder highlight when I go in with that later. When my Laura Mercier Powder ran out a few months ago I thought I'd give the RCMA No Colour Powder a go and so far I'm very impressed. It's pretty much exactly the same, finely milled and does a great job at mattifying my face. Winner!

The foundation so good that I bought two

I think I've finally found my perfect foundation that gives me everything I need. In January I spontaneously bought the Revlon Colorstay Foundation in the lightest shade they had, 110 Ivory, and instantly fell in love. I'd heard good things about it before but assumed it wouldn't be matte enough for my skin as at the time I was using the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Matte Foundation. However, the first time I used it lasted all day. All. Day. Without it separating or rubbing off. I was pretty amazed. This was the start of a serious love affair that is still happening.

I forgot to mention this is for the combination/oily version of this foundation and not normal/dry. I also have dehydrated skin which can be quite oily.

This is what I'd call a true liquid foundation if that makes sense. So instead of being slightly thick and mousse-y like the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Matte or really runny like the Bourjois CC Cream it sits in the middle. This means that when I apply it to my skin it gives me the medium to full coverage I like in a foundation but it sinks into my skin instead of sitting on top. It creates a smooth canvas on my face and when I use it I notice the rest of my makeup applies a lot better. Throughout the day I do still have to blot a little to remove any excess oil but I'm definitely not a sweaty mess by the end of the working day, which I sometimes find when I use my beloved L'Oreal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation. Now, if I'm having a particularly oily day, the foundation does rub off a little but it's not nearly as bad as it could be. So although it's not a miracle worker, it's pretty close!

Anyway, on to why I have these two shades. I've started to dabble in fake tan, a world which I'm totally involved in, and I needed to get a foundation I can use when I'm a little bit more tanned. It was a no brainer that this was the foundation I would choose as it is by far my favourite at the moment. I chose the shade 180 Sand Beige, two shades up from my natural skin tone shade. I was going to go just one up, which would have been Buff, but I didn't know if that would have been dark enough. I'm glad I went with Sand Beige as even though it is quite a bit darker it means that when mixed with Ivory I can create the best colour I need for how tanned I am at the time.

Do you love this foundation too or is there another one you think I should try? Let me know!

Left to right: 110 Ivory | 180 Sand Beige

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

I did it. I took the plunge and bought my first ever high end foundation. Exciting, scary, and my purse did not thank me for it. I thought I'd write a little bit about my experience buying the foundation and my overall thoughts. Let's start with the TORTURE it was to buy this thing for my face. Okay, slightly over dramatic but it was quite scary. The Too Faced Born This Way Foundation is £29, nearly triple the price of my other foundations, and once you buy it that's it, no take-sy back-sies, it's yours whether you like it or not. The Too Faced counter in the Debenhams in Nottingham never has anyone working on it, near it, within a mile of it. You're literally by yourself unless you want to drag someone from another counter over to help you out. I do quite like that in a way because you can browse at your own leisure but it proved difficult when trying to colour match myself. My usual guide is always go for the lightest one, but the lightest one they had instore here was Ivory, what seemed that a medium yellow toned shade. I really wanted this foundation though so I thought I'd see if I could make the colour work. I put a little pump on the back of my hand and put a little bit on my jawline because I've heard in the past that that is the place to test the colour of a foundation. I could not see a thing. So I went one step further and covered my entire chin because I hoped I'd be able to see if the colour was right. I literally still couldn't see. The lighting just made everything seem to be white and I could not for the life of me tell if this would work. So I went outside. Into the busy Nottingham market square to have a proper look. I took photos of myself and was zooming in, I had my mirror out to see if it looked right but I could not for the life of my see it on my skin. I then decided that if I couldn't see it, the likelihood was that it was my shade and it would work. So, I bought it and I have to say I'm so happy that I did!

This foundation is amazing. From the first time I used it until now I knew it was the one. The coverage is medium-full with it probably being more on the full side. One pump is plenty to do your whole face and a little goes a very long way. My skin has been reacting very strangely to my foundations recently but this just blurs over my face and makes it look flawless, and trust me there are a lot of flaws to lessen. I do have to blot my face throughout the day to get rid of a bit of shine but I have to do that with all of my foundations so that is nothing new. I can't express how much I love this foundation, it is simply stunning. If you are a fan of high coverage, flawless looking foundations then you need this in your life. It's made me love Too Faced even more as a brand and I really want to branch out and try even more of their products.

My Current Base Routine

I feel like I'm in a really good place with my base at the moment. It lasts all day, doesn't feel caky on my skin and looks pretty good. For a bit of background of my skin, it can get quite oily but also needs  a bit of hydration to keep it plump and healthy. I've been using this combination of products for a while now, day and night and for me it is just the perfect base and offers everything from being long lasting to looking flawless. I'll stop rambling on now and get into how I apply it, let's go!

To prime my face I use the Makeup Forever Step 1 Mattifying Primer and it's definitely the best primer I've ever used. It's somewhere in between a cream and a silicone texture making it the perfect thing to smooth over the skin, because I think creams can be too thick and silicone can be a little uncomfortable. The smallest amount is needed, smaller than a pea, and it goes really far. I just it on the centre of my face and on my forehead because those are the areas where my foundation rubs off. Next up is the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Matte Foundation in 10 Porcelain. There's nothing I don't like about this foundation. The shade Porcelain matches my skin perfectly and it blends so nicely, t's a pleasure to apply. For a foundation with coverage as high as this one you'd expect it to be heavy on the skin but that isn't the case. When blended onto the skin it turns into a sort of whipped texture and feels very light on the skin. You can wear this all day and still not feel it weighing down your face. I'm just in love with this foundation okay! Concealer time and I use two on a daily basis. First is the Maybelline Eraser Eye. I use this under my eyes and sometimes on blemishes if my foundation couldn't cover them up (I press my finger on the sponge the get the product and then dab it on the spot). It's great up the eyes as it conceals dark circles really well and also does a good job of covering up redness on my cheeks. To brighten up certain areas of my face I use the L'Oreal True Match La Touche Magique Concealer. It's a highlighting concealer that has a yellow tone to it so it brightens up my under eyes and any other area that I want to highlight. I simply apply it in large swipes in a triangle shape underneath my eye and blend it out with my finger. I love the way these two concealers work together and how flawless they make my face look. The final step of my base routine is powder because if I don't powder my face feels really strange, I don't know why but I don't feel complete without it. I use the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder. I love how light it is, the slight coverage it gives and the smell. It has a very sweet smell which I just find really nice when I apply it, like a special little treat!

I'm starting to worry that a lot of these products are beginning to run out but I'm definitely going to repurchase all of them. I just can't imagine any other products that could work as well, but you never know I might find something else so I'll keep you posted!

L'Oreal True Match Foundation

I've found my new saviour. After my Max Factor Face Finity ran out last month I didn't think that there would be anything that could live up to it but after hearing the raving reviews on this foundation I thought I'd branch out and give it a go. I'm so glad I did because this has quickly become my new favourite foundation. I have the shade N1 which is a perfect match and I like the way that there are so many different shades with varying undertones. It has a satin finish (I say that but I don't know if it's actually correct) and gives a natural skin like finish. I usually go for matte foundations so this one, for me, is more on the dewy side and I'm completely okay with that. It doesn't make my skin greasy or oily and actually helps to control the oil. It lasts all day without the need for concealer touch ups and when I apply it I only use one pump and it covers my entire face, and the coverage is amazing, full to medium. I can't rave about this foundation enough and if you have a space in your collection for a new product, give this a try because you won't regret it.

Fight of the Foundations

Face fights! Foundations! I have serious foundation problems, my skin can get quite oily and a lot of the ones I've tried turn me into one big greasy chip. Here is the base of my face-drobe and let's dive in. First up is the Rimmel Match Perfection in the shade 101 Classic Ivory. I went through a phase about a year ago where I only ever wore this foundation. But then my skin decided to get really oily and now this one doesn't last very long on my skin with separating which makes me really sad. However the colour is an amazing match, hence the name I suppose, and I still wear it when I know I'm having a short day. Next up is the Rimmel Matte BB Cream in Light. Me and this little fellow have a roller coaster like relationship. When I first got this last spring I thought it was the best thing ever, really light, perfect colour match and lasted all day. Then after a little bit of usage things started to go wrong. My face got really oily it looked orange on my skin and it didn't seem to offer any coverage. I haven't used this in a long time but when the warmer months roll around I'm going to give it another try but if it doesn't work I might have to bid farewell. My oldest foundation in this mix is the Rimmel Stay Matte in the shade 100 Ivory (kind of a Rimmel theme in this post). I am in love with this foundation! The texture is light, the colour is such a perfect match and it stays put on my face, for good. As far as I'm concerned there is nothing wrong with this foundation and the fact that it's SPF free means on a night out there is no fear of flashback face, winner! Finally is the Max Factor Face Finity Foundation in the shade Light Ivory. I bought this just before I went on my summer holiday because I wanted something really long lasting and I'd heard good things about this one. This is such an amazing foundation. I used to just wear it on a night out but I've bumped it up to everyday as well because it's that good of an all rounder. I'm really upset because I'm coming to the end of this one, which shows just how much I love it. It lasts all day and the coverage is the best I've ever used. I think that overall my favourite foundation has to be the Max Factor one for the fact that I wear it so much and I don't know what I'd do without it.