FACES Ultime Pro Second Skin Foundation - Review, Price, Swatches

I have been a big fan of previous FACES foundations that I have used and have one more to share with you all. This is the FACES Ultime Pro Second Skin foundation.

It comes in frosted glass bottle with a pump cap. The bottle looks luxurious.
It is convenient to dispense but due to the glass packaging it can't accompany me on my travels.

FACES Ultime Pro Second Skin Foundation claims to be an ultra-lightweight liquid to powder foundation owing to its new breakthrough color technology.

It is a serum based foundation and does actually feel almost like water when you apply it to your skin. Its like there is nothing on your skin at all. The coverage is medium build-able.
The finish it imparts to the skin is very natural, almost matte. The smooth texture makes this foundation literally glide on your skin.

FACES Ultime Pro Second Skin is available in four different shades ranging from light to dark - Ivory, Natural, Beige and Sand,
Shades have been chosen to work with the Indian skin tone and the foundation also comes with SPF 15.

Price: Rs.1499 for 30ml [available on flipkart for Rs 1199]

Za True White Liquid Foundation OC30: Review, Swatch, Price

Za True White Liquid Foundation is a foundation I have been using lately and will probably continue to use during summers as it boasts of an SPF25 PA++.

So first things first, lets take a quick look at the packaging. Za True White Liquid foundation comes in a glass bottle with a pump dispenser. The shape of the bottle is interesting.

Za True White Liquid Foundation OC30: Review, Swatch, Price

I don't like glass bottles personally because then my 2 minute makeup routine stretches to 5 minutes because I need to make sure I take out the bottle carefully, dispense the product and put it back safely before I topple it over onto the floor. So I keep my Za True White Liquid foundation very carefully because this is my current go-to foundation and I don't want to break the bottle.

Za True White Liquid Foundation OC30: Review, Swatch, Price

The dispenser is good, one pump dispenses a small amount (see the swatch image below) so there is never any wastage and no hygiene issues as well.

The texture of the foundation is a semi-thick liquid that blends easily. I do not notice any fragrance in this so people with sensitive noses should be OK to use this.

Za True White Foundation has medium coverage that is buildable. I have shade OC30 which is the closest match to my skin. It looks a tad bit lighter but settles down to match my skin in about an hour or with the help of a little dusting of my Bare Minerals warm glow loose powder. There are 6 shades available and OC30 is the darkest shade. So if you have a deeper skin tone I don't think you'll find a match. There is one more shade available for skin with pink undertones.

Oriflame The ONE IlluSkin Foundation Review, Swatch and Price

Oriflame has launched a range of products called The ONE Everyday Beauty. Today I am sharing my experience of using the IlluSkin Foundation from this range.

Oriflame The ONE IlluSkin Foundation Review, Swatch and Price

The One IlluSkin Foundation comes packaged in a glass bottle with a pump dispenser. The dispenser has a lock system so that if you are carrying it around you do not accidentally press the pump. It also has a plastic cap for extra protection. The bottle comes packed in a purple cardboard. Ingredients are mentioned on the bottle itself. 

Price: Rs 799 (30ml)

Oriflame The ONE IlluSkin Foundation Review, Swatch and Price

The foundation has a nice consistency which is neither too runny nor too thick. It takes me two pumps of the foundation to get enough product to cover my face and neck. The foundation blends easily with both fingers and a makeup brush. It gives medium coverage so I do need to use a concealer on red spots. The overall finish is dewy. It contains SPF 20 so its a plus point if you are headed outdoors.

My skin starts to get oily after 2 hours of using the foundation so I prefer using this on top of a matte primer. Without primer the foundation seems to start fading within 2 hours. Its almost as if I never put it on my face. With a primer also I get only about 4 hours of staying time. The IlluSkin Foundation did not break me out at all and so this is a big plus for me.

New Launch - L'Oréal Paris N*de Magic

*Press Release

L'Oréal Paris unveils the most magical launch of 2014
Introducing L'Oréal Paris N*de Magic
A liquid powder foundation for flawless skin

N*de make-up is a rage this season with luminescent skin and light tones being seen on all the top fashion runways. L'Oréal Paris brings the trend to India with a product that gives your skin the perfect n*de glamorous finish. L'Oréal Paris launches N*de Magic, a gorgeous light-weight daily use foundation in 6 shades that contains an innovative formula with light oils for perfect coverage and a velvety touch. It gives you that impeccable and radiant look you have always desired.

New Launch -  L'Oréal Paris N*de Magic 

Nobody ever said foundation has to feel heavy. A magical invention from L'Oréal Paris laboratories, N*de Magic boasts of an airy, lighter-than-water formula that spreads 2x more than regular foundations giving your skin room to breathe and yet giving it a flawless finish.

New Application: This liquid powder foundation gives best results when shaken well before use. All you have to do is take the required amount of N*de Magic on your fingertips and then blend it in to your skin. The light liquid spreads evenly, gets easily absorbed and leaves a beautiful, talc-like finish to the skin.

New Launch -  L'Oréal Paris N*de Magic

New Finish:  L'Oréal Paris Nude Magic promises -        
 Zero Imperfection
 Zero Make up feel
 Absolutely even, perfectly radiant skin

The product is priced at Rs. 899 and will be available in exclusive L'Oréal Paris outlets only. You can check out the shades and more details on the L'Oreal website HERE

Follow Me On instagram | facebook | pinterest

Tip n Toes Professionals Pure Mineral Make-up Powder Foundation and Concealer Duo - Tawny Tan

A couple of months back I got to try out a product from Tips & Toes. Its from the Professionals Pure Mineral Make-Up line of products and is a combo of powder foundation and concealer (shade Tawny Tan).

Tip n Toes Professionals Pure Mineral Make-up Powder Foundation and Concealer Duo - Tawny Tan

The packaging is really nice and travel friendly. Basically its a pot of powder with a screw cap. The cap is actually a pot of concealer which has a flip cap on it. This makes sure that you can carry both your concealer and powder foundation together. 

Tip n Toes Professionals Pure Mineral Make-up Powder Foundation and Concealer Duo - Tawny Tan - Review and Swatch

And there is a small applicator brush for the powder foundation that sits inside this packaging. And there is a mirror inside as well - yup they packed in everything into this pot so that you have it all in one place. 

Makeup for Indian Skin

With an ever-increasing range of makeup products available in both the Indian market as well as via online shopping websites, the Indian woman has a lot of products to choose from, and might, in her quest to acquire the best products, end up choosing something which does not suit her skin type, tone or simply,  fails to highlight her features. In order to avoid making these sometimes expensive mistakes, we have put together a list of Indian skin-friendly make up buying tips, and have also recommended some companies which stock shades which suit our skin the best.

image src: unp.me

White Skin Syndrome

The first issue with Indian skin and currently available make up products is the “white skin syndrome”, which is often associated with using the wrong foundation and concealer base. Pale skin tones can get away with “white-base” foundations, but warmer tones tend to become grey and have a washed-out look. To solve this, companies such as Kryolan and MAC stock a variety of warm colour bases which cover imperfections, contour and highlight the cheekbones while maintaining a fresh, healthy glow. Other brands which stock Indian-skin friendly bases and concealers are Inglot, Clinique, Make Up Forever and occasionally, Revlon and Chambor.

Eyeliner

The next issue is more of a debate than an actual problem, and involves the type of eyeliner to use. The humble stick of Kajal has now been replaced with a number of other options, and Maybelline’s Colossal Kajal appears to be a clear winner in the market, and is widely praised on beauty blogging sites. Other popular eyeliners are from companies like Chambor, Lakme and Bourjois, which boast of a wide array of jewel tones which complement medium toned skin perfectly. Liquid liners from the same companies allow for greater definition and allow users to create that perfect “winged effect” on their eyelids. Larger, foreign brands offer a greater variety of shades, so MAC, Kryolan and Inglot once again would be the places to visit, while Maybelline’s “Color Tattoo” gel eyeliners are both affordable and popular.

Maybelline Colossal Kajal

Blush & Brush

Blush tones, if not chosen correctly or applied  in the right manner, could result in unsightly splotches of bright colour over ones cheeks, which is why it is recommended to invest in a good blusher brush, and  to experiment a bit with the application technique. Budget price brushes can be bought from Faces and Vega, whereas more serious make up enthusiasts can consider “Kabuki” brushes from Bourjois, which help in blending  the colour into the skin for a more natural effect. Faces and Coastal Scents stock a good selection of blushes and the latter, along with companies such as Kryolan, offer palettes, which contain up to 8 different shades, ranging from peach tones to pinks and are suited for varying skin tones and allow the creation of different looks. It is advisable for one to buy a palette in order to be able to experiment with casual as well as night time looks.

image courtesy: kryolan.com

Eye-shadow

Eye-shadow for Indian skin tones are available in various shades, and are fun  to experiment with via colour blocks or by blending one shade into another. There is no limit to what kind of eye-shadow one can use, and when combined with well-defined eyes and good quality mascara, the effect could be artistic and elegant or edgy. There is a large market for eye-shadows  and if one does not want to spend too much money, but also build a collection of colours, there are a number of unbranded palettes available. For those who would like to customize specific shades or go in for a consultation to find out which colours accentuate their eye colour and shape, consultants at brands such as MAC and Inglot will allow customers to create their own palette with up to 15 colours per palette. Jewel tones and primary shades are recommended for hazel/brown eyes.

Sigma Eye Shadow

MAC Eye-shadow

Lipstick, Lip Balm or Lip Stain

Pink or peach lip shades are available in a variety of forms, and for frequent application, lip tints, chubby sticks and lip stains come in handy rather than lipstick, which tend s to stain teeth and come off quite easily. Indian skin tones can get away with most shades, and while it is not recommended to wear bright red to work, red shades work the best with our skin tone and a little consultation with professional makeup artists will help find the right shade of red. “Ruby Woo” by MAC is popular among Indian makeup enthusiasts, and Clinique’s chubby stick shades in Raspberry and Strawberry suit slightly fairer skin tones.

Lip balms from  Nivea are fruit-flavored and have hints of pale pink, while Body Shop’s Lip Stain lasts for up to 8 hours.

Korres Lip Butter

Makeup Base - Foundation

Mostly it is the foundation which constitutes the base on which other makeup is applied, and once you discover “your” shade, it should blend into your skin and match perfectly without making you look lighter or darker. A concealer should follow which once again, will not impact your original skin colour, but will cover acne scars and other marks, and give you that flawless look.

Foundation

Tips

A waterproof eyeliner and mascara is recommended to ward off the “panda” eyes effect which occurs when you perspire or your face is wet. A good blusher should highlight your cheekbones and could slim your face. A good quality translucent powder [try Kryolan or NYX] will remove shine and give your skin a matte look, while a tinted lip balm or stain will give your lips a natural pout and can be replaced with a red or coral lipstick for formal occasions.

Do not forget to invest in good quality makeup brushes, Vega, Faces, and The Body Shop offer affordable sets while those who shop online can try Sephora.

Other brands which have a wide range of Indian skin-friendly products are www.eyeslipsface.com and www.coastalscents.com. You can also check out StrawberryNet.com which brings you a lot of the brands at discounted prices and offers free world wide shipping

Guest article from www.glad2bawoman.com. Glad2bawoman is an online media company for women with over 76,000 members. The articles on their site encompass various topics around Health, Empowerment, Relationships, Leisure and Fashion.

Powered by StyleCrazeGrab this widget!

Kryolan TV Paint Stick - Review

Today is 12-12-12 - rejoice to be breathing on this once in a 100 years opportune date!!!!

Now getting back to my post - when stylecraze was closing its online shop I redeemed my points and bought a product which I was longing to get for quite some time but wasn’t sure of what shade to purchase. Since I had points to redeem I thought I’d take a chance, I did some Google search to find out closest match to Indian skin tones and bought the shade FS 38. Here begins my take on this product sought by professional make-up artists and specially for TV photography where it is important to hide all blemishes and give a flawless look.

Kryolan TV Paint Stick

What the company claims
“Successfully proven cream make-up in stick form. The special base of TV Paint Stick allows gentle make-up application that provides effective covering at the  same time. The KRYOLAN assortment of more than 250 color nuances for selection is truly extraordinary - which makes this preparation indispensable for stage, film, TV and video work.
TV Paint Stick is available in a variety of more than 120 shades.
Available in a handy twist-up cylinder.”

The Product
The Kryolan TV Paint stick is a foundation that comes in a twist up stick form. The stick is thick (the diameter is about 2.5 cm) and is grey in color. It is easy to twist up and back down making it super easy to carry around. The product can be applied with fingers, foundation brush or foundation sponge. There is no smell and the texture is thick and creamy.

Kryolan TV Paint Stick

Articles featured at Pepperfy - Ways To Take Care Of Your Skin This Festival Season

Recently I wrote an article that has been featured on the Peppefry blog. It talks about the essentials that you should  have in your kitty - the must haves to shine this festive season.

I talk about some of my own favouirte products and why I recommend them. Do give it a read and leave your comments.

You can read the full post at Ways To Take Care Of Your Skin This Festival Season

Cover-up Those Acne Scars For Flawless Skin with Faces Oil Free Foundation

Yesterday we took a look at how to hide facial acne scars with a concealer. I used the Faces Vanishing Act Concealer and it fared decently against my hideous acne. You can read the complete review at Hiding Facial Acne With Faces Canada Vanishing Act Concealer

Now if you want a  more flawless looking appearance or have harder scars to conceal then you need to fall back on a good foundation. Usually foundations are thicker and give more coverage without the need of a concealer but are heavier for daily use. The foundation that I gave a try this time is the Faces Oil-Free Foundation.

Faces Oil Free Foundation

What the company claims
"FACES Oil Free foundation is a water-based formulation, ideal for oily skin seeking sheer coverage. It helps make your skin appear radiant, healthy and re-energized without causing breakouts, leaving it fresh and smooth all day without clogging pores."

Product
The Faces oil-free foundation comes in a transparent glass bottle with a black lid. The lid has an attached spatula sort of attachment with a small head.
The foundation is liquid, non greasy and non fragrant.

Faces Oil Free Foundation Applicator

My Experience
I am simply loving this little beauty for daily wear. The foundation is so very easy to smooth out and gives such a nice air-brushed sort of look that I am in love with it already!

My bad experience at M.A.C store and great one at YSL

I had heard so much about the M.A.C. Foundations that today I finally walked my self to the M.A.C. store in Shopper's Stop GIP (Noida)

A girl welcomed me and I told her I was looking for the studio fix foundation and wanted to do a shade match for my skin tone. She casually took out a shade and said it would match me. I asked her to give me a drop to try out, she reluctantly placed one drop on my hand and went silent. I did not know whether she wanted me to try it on my face or just on my hand. I rubbed a small amount on my hand and it clearly did not match my skin tone. She rudely said how is it supposed to match your hand - you are supposed to match it on your face.

So, I told her I already had some make-up on my face so if she could give me something to wipe it off first - she went and brought back a dry tissue (forgot to mention I was not asked to sit down and try out the things - she just made me stand there the whole time)

I tried to wipe off with it but since it was dry I couldn't - I asked her if she had something wet or a cleanser I could use. She just handed me another shade, a more yellowish shade and said this will be too dark for you but you can try it.

My sister was with me and she asked the SA to give a correct match. She just kept saying the one she had shown first was the only match. I tried that shade on my jaw line and clearly it was sitting on like a chalk rubbed on my skin. I told her this was clearly not a match. The SA just stood there. My sister tried to explain to her that until it matches properly there is no point in using  a foundation. But since the SA just stood there without helping out, my sister finally told her that the foundation she was wearing was also too light for her since it was clearly visible on her face. But the SA just seemed to be in a world of her own showing a 'I don't care' attitude. She just said the shades are all in front of you pick whatever you like but the one I showed you is the correct match.

We finally left without buying anything from there.

The small amount I did sample out was not something that I liked either. I am not sure I would ever purchase a MAC any more :(

Next we walked over to the YSL counter, the counter had very few products but the SA was really sweet. She asked what I was looking for and readily told me I could sample the foundations that they had. She chose a shade and applied it on my arm - the feeling of that foundation was out of this world smooth!

I told her I wanted to apply it on my face to check, she went ahead and bought me a YSL cleanser, gave me two swabs with lots of cleanser so that I could cleanse my face properly. After that she asked me to sit down comfortably while she applied the foundation on my face. I told her the shade seemed slightly lighter to me - so she went and bought the next best match and applied that to the other side of the face. She applied both foundations really well, completely covering the face (half with one and the other half with the other shade) - my face looked so smooth. Even though she was applying very less foundation I was seeing my marks getting covered properly without giving me any feeling of anything on my face.

The shade that matched me was not in stock so she took down my number and also gave her number to me. 

I have already reviewed the YSL Teint Singulier Sheer Powdercreme and I am surely purchasing this one in my correct shade as soon as it is in stock.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Neutrogena - Skin Clearing Oil-Free Makeup

My quest for a good foundation is still on - having pimple prone skin that likes to act on its own is not an easy thing to handle. From simple souffle form to the latest fad of mineral foundations - I have tried many but all in vain.
I was going over the Neutrogena website sometime back and saw this foundation which promised to clear the skin over time. I read the reviews and thought of giving it a try.
I asked my husband to get it from the US on one of his trips (this is not yet available in India).
Now for the foundation - it comes in a small glass bottle - the shade I got was fresh beige.

The back label is actually a small booklet with instructions and ingredients - you can see the 'peel here' in the pic below - that is where the first page raises to reveal more pages below.

The product claims to clear skin owing to the salicylic acid content.
The texture of the foundation is creamy liquid - it smooths out like a dream - no smudging no cakiness.

I have used this with a foundation brush, with a makeup sponge and also with my bare fingers.
Using with a brush gives a more airbrushed look but I like the dewy look it gives when smoothed out with bare fingers.
In the image below I have spread it on my hand to show you the dewy smoothness when spread with fingers

It hides blemishes and gives a smooth appearance to the skin. BUT, yes even though I love it so much there is a big drawback - the lasting power is horrible - anything that comes in contact with your face is sure to get kissed by this foundation. And I simply hate that!!! In summers you can easily put loose powder or some compact over this to increase the staying power but still make sure you keep your hands off your face.

I have been using this for over 6 months - this foundation did not improve anything about my skin but it does not break me out (unless I put a moisturizer before applying it - I guess it is creamy enough to not require a moisturizing base). Surprisingly I still have 1/4th of the foundation left - so there is quite a lot of product in the tiny little container :)

What I like:
1. Price (I think this cost only about $6 - Rs 300 approx)
2. Smoothness and dewy look it gives

What I hate:
1. Lasting power
2. Availability

I seem to be reviewing everything that has no availability in India - need to get hold of some Indian stuff from my cabinet :) 

Wrong shade of foundation

What a waste of my money! My first online purchase of makeup - a great website, great freebies, excellent support and service, but to my horror, I have blown off my money on the wrong shade of foundation. Not one or two but almost four shades darker than my skin tone :'(
What am I supposed to do with it?
I will try mixing it in with my moisturizer and see if I can use it
I will also try using it for contouring purposes, although I must confess I have never done that before.
I got a free lipstick with it which is a good shade and has a very nice fruity smell to it. My camera is broken so I have no pics to upload.
But do comment on any ideas you have on how I can make use of my very dark foundation.
Lesson - never buy directly online unless you are 100% sure of the shade