The Summer Foundation Smackdown

The Summer Foundation Smackdown

Wednesday, 15 August 2018

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L-R: L'Oreal True Match, L'Oreal Infallible Total Cover, CYO Lifeproof

Welcome ladies and gentleman, boys and girls to the Summer Foundation Smackdown! Where I explore three foundations to see how they hold up in this unbearable heat. Hint: It's not well!

All about that base - foundation routine

All about that base - foundation routine

Monday, 2 April 2018

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In 2014 Meghan Trainor sang that it was all about that bass, bout that bass, no treble, and, even though that song is terrible, when it comes to make up I’m inclined to agree. Honestly, for me a good base forms the foundation (badum chhh... I’m not even sorry!) of my make up.

My Top 5 Foundations from the High Street

My Top 5 Foundations from the High Street

Tuesday, 2 August 2016

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l-r: Soap & Glory One Heck of  a Blot Foundation, Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream, L'Oréal True Match Foundation, Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Powerless Foundation and Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation. 

Foundation is literally called foundation because it is the base on which we build our entire face! So to say foundation is important is a huge understatement. Luckily, for those of us on a budget, when it comes to foundation the high street does it really well. Really, really well. It was quite hard narrowing my top picks down to just the 5, I can see a Top 10 post coming up in the future, but for now lovely people here are my top 5 high street/drug store foundations.

L'Oréal Paris True Match Foundation in Rose Ivory - £9.99 from Boots

L'Oréal's True Match is my absolute favourite foundation. I've talked about this stuff so much, but it's because I love it so much! This foundation, even after it's reformulation, is amazing. It's my go to foundation for a night out because it is long lasting, has a beautifully natural, your skin but better kind of finish and it gives excellent, non-cakey coverage. If you're just getting in to make up, than this foundation, in my opinion, is the best on the high street, plus it has a really good shade range and a reasonable price point. I love it so much. 

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream in Ivory- £9.99 from Boots

I bought this for the express purpose of testing it out for this post and honestly, I didn't have a lot of faith in it. I usually avoid CC Creams like the plague, because they just don't have the coverage I need BUT this one does. It is very lightweight, but gives medium coverage that can be built up in to something more full without feeling heavy,  and it still allows the skin to breath. It's become one of my favourite foundations, especially for summertime, because it feels absolutely gorgeous on the skin. The formula is lovely too, combining skin care benefits with the coverage of foundation. It contains 3 pigments to colour correct the skin, Apricot: to cover dark circles and hide signs of fatigue, Green: for redness and White: to brighten. It has a  very liquid-y formula, that buffs flawlessly into the skin in seconds, and it comes in a squeezy tube making it ideal for travelling. For something I had no faith in I am incredibly impressed. Love it, seriously love it. 

Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Foundation in 105 - £5.99 from Boots

Again, this is another recent purchase but it's so good that it's already been a favourite. It's a matte foundation that has a really gorgeous luminosity to it, it looks very fresh on the skin, and it's also quite hydrating and has excellent wear time. I've even worn it to the gym - Sidenote: I don't usually wear make up to the gym but my new personal trainer is incredibly handsome, so I have to make an effort! Obviously! - and it still looked good after I'd worked out. I've been using it so much because it's awesome!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation in Ivory - £7.99 from Boots

This one is an oldie but a goodie. I love Rimmel foundations - shout out to Match Perfection, which is also amazing! - The Lasting Finish Nude Foundation just pips it to the post due to it's natural, dewy finish, medium coverage and  longevity on the skin. It lasts a really long time, and it looks good too. It covers what needs to be covered, whilst still looking really natural on the skin and adds a decent amount of dewiness without being too in your face. Definitely give this one a try, because at £7.99 it's an absolute steal.  

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot All Day Liquid to Powder Foundation in Cool Sand - £12.00 from Boots

This offering from Soap & Glory is another recent purchase that has become a firm favourite of mine, and earned it's place on my dressing table. It's a liquid to powder foundation meaning that it has amazing longevity. As the name suggests, it stays in place all day! No movement, no patchiness, nothing. Once it's on, it's on for the long haul. Again it's a matte foundation, I do love mattes! Now a lot of matte foundations have the tendency to be flat and mask-like once applied, but this actually looks really bright and radiant on the skin, and it gives amazing coverage. The only complaint I have is that the shade range is limited to 4 shades, so there is not really much in there for those with darker skin tones. I fall between Fair Enough and Cool Sand, the two lightest shades, with Cool Sand being just a tad too dark for me, although it's not nearly as dark as it looks in the picture. Having said that I think it's a really good foundation, especially if you have normal to oily skin. If you have really, really dry skin then you should probably steer clear because it will dry you out further. Personally I have sensitive skin which can get quite dry, especially this time of year, and I haven't had any problems with it so far. It's just a really nice, high coverage foundation. Love it.

What are your favourite drugstore foundations? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

L'Oréal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation Review #ad

L'Oréal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation Review #ad

Sunday, 26 June 2016

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*Sponsered post*

Cushion products, particularly foundations, are having a bit of a moment in the beauty world. It started with Lancôme's Miracle Cushion, and it seems that, once again, L'Oréal was the first on the high street to throw their hat into the ring.

The whole idea of cushion products is that it is a sponge saturated in the product. This sponge is housed in a light pink compact with a contrasting metallic lid, the compact also plays host to a (fairly useless) application sponge and a decent sized mirror. I really like the packaging, I think it's really cute and so handy for popping in your bag, as the top layer acts as a seal to the sponge to prevent leaks and to stop it from drying out. 

The foundation itself is amazing, I've been using it for the past couple of weeks and I really, really like it. I've found that the best way to apply it is with a damp beauty blender, because it applies so quickly, and absolutely beautifully. It also feels really soft and light against the skin. It has decent coverage, t's more medium but can be built up for something more full, and easily covers redness and minor blemishes. It also has a lovely finish, glowy, but in a lit from within kind of way and lasts reasonably well on the skin. 

I only have three teeny tiny niggles about this foundation, these are: 

1. The shade colour/number is not on the packaging, so things can and will get a little confusing.

2. Mine has already started to dry out 

3. The foundation claims to hold 30 ml, roughly the size of an average bottle,  but I  don't think this would last as long as regular bottle of foundation. 

I would also say that this is not the best for oily skinned lads and lasses, due to it's finish. However these are only minor concerns. Overall the foundation performs really well, it is an excellent colour match for me, I have the shade 03. Also due to the way it's dispensed you do tend to waste less product, so I do think it does balance out. I really like it a lot.

Have you tried L'Oréal's Nude Magique Cushion foundation? What did you think? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

*Disclaimer* I was fortunate enough to receive this as a free sample to review, this is no way impacts my review of the product. All thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own

Primark PS Make Up Haul

Primark PS Make Up Haul

Sunday, 10 April 2016

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Primark's PS Make Up Line is kinda awesome. It is surprisingly good quality, especially when considering how ridiculously cheap it is. Honestly I haven't tried much, but what I have tried I've really liked.  So when I was in there last week and saw all the make up I hadn't tried yet, well a haul was almost inevitable.

PS... Foundation Stick in Ivory - £2.00

This is the first thing I picked up, after hearing Becky from Talk Becky Talk rave about it ages ago on youtube, I figured it was definitely worth trying it out. I really like it. It has a really thick and creamy consistency. As a foundation it's too heavy on the skin, but as a concealer it is awesome. It gives excellent coverage, has a good wear time to it and blends nicely. It's a really good concealer.

PS... Liquid Foundation in Porcelain & Ivory - £2.50 each

I was really feeling bases, can you tell? So far this is the product that I've been least impressed with and I'll tell you why. The shade range is quite limited, although this is to be expected for such a cheap brand.  I'm quite pale so I chose the two lightest shades and neither of them work for me. Porcelain is very light and Ivory is quite dark for a lighter shade. I think if I mixed them together they might work better,  but to be honest I've found them to a bit of a meh product overall. The foundation promises a semi-matte finish and a medium coverage but I didn't get that. It feels quite greasy on the skin when you apply it and the coverage isn't there, it also oxidises really badly and can look quite orange-y, which is not a good look for anyone. I'm really not a fan. But I only lost a fiver so it's fine.

PS... Eyeliner - £1.00

I wasn't sure about this eyeliner,  normally I don't like to use really cheap eyeliner because I've had bad experiences in the past where I've got eye infections or sore eyes. But I decided to risk it for a chocolate biscuit and give it a try, and it isn't bad. It's not the best liquid liner I've ever come across but it's okay. It has a very fine brush nib and the formula is alright. It seems quite watery at first, but the colour can be built up and once it dries down it is locked in place. It was definitely worth the risking it.

PS... Nail Polish Twist Pot - £1.00

I've been a fan of the Twist Pots for a long time, I know it's a much cheaper dupe of Boujois' Magic Nail Polish Remover, I just think they're super handy because it takes all the mess out of taking your nail polish off. The one thing I will say about these is that the sponge inside gets worn out quite quickly and the remover itself has a really strong smell, but I still think that they're amazing, and so handy.

Have you tried any of Primark's make up line?  Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Max Factor Miracle Touch Liquid Illusion Foundation Review

Max Factor Miracle Touch Liquid Illusion Foundation Review

Thursday, 11 February 2016

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It's been a while since I changed up my foundation but with skin that can at best be described as tricksy, and at worst acne riddled, I thought it was about time I mixed it up when it comes to bases. And as my bestie - the Ann to my Lesley - has been raving about this stuff for ages, like seriously ages, I thought it was time to give it a try, PLUS there was a free gift so obviously I wasn't able to resist.

So let's get down to the nitty gritty. Miracle Touch is a compact foundation that comes in a small glass tub with a black lid that plays host to a very basic make up sponge. I understand why it has to be stored this way, due to the super thick formulation of the product, but I have to say really not a lover of the packing. It doesn't feel particularly hygienic to dip my fingers into something I'm putting on my face, regardless of how clean they definitely are... but maybe that's just me.

The product itself is lovely, it has a really thick, almost waxy formula in the pan but when applied to the skin it becomes really liquid-y - I'm sure there's a better way of saying that.. fluid maybe? No not fluid! - and applies seamlessly. I've found the best way to apply it is with fingers, because they warm up the product and really work it into the skin but it does apply nicely with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush as well, shockingly I haven't used the sponge.

The formulation itself is lovely, it gives excellent coverage without looking cakey or giving you creepy-mask face. It's also really buildable, so you don't necessarily need a concealer, you can just pile this on the places that need extra coverage. The finish is also really nice, particularly for something this high coverage. I would expect it to be quite matte and a bit flat but it's actually quite dewy and fresh looking. Really my only complaint is the packaging, which is pants, but seriously other than that it's a great foundation.

Have you tried Max Factor's Miracle Touch Liquid Illusion Foundation? What did you think? If not what foundation are you loving right now? Anything I should be trying? What are you loving at the moment?  Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat - search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

First Impressions #3: Clarins Skin Illusion Natural Radiance in109Wheat.

First Impressions #3: Clarins Skin Illusion Natural Radiance in109Wheat.

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

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On Sunday I was feeling a bit adventurous with my make up and thought I would test out a new foundation from the Sample Box. Now the Sample Box, as you could've guessed from the name, is an old Ted Baker Beauty box that is filled with all the beauty samples I've collected over the years, and every now and then when feeling particularly bored with my make up I'll go through it and have a little play.  

So whilst I was digging through the Sample Box I came across a sachet of Clarins Skin Illusion Natural Radiance in the shade 109 Wheat and thought I'd give it a try. 

I have to say I love it! The formula is beautiful, it applies so easily, literally melting into the skin. The coverage is amazing, my skin's been really rebellious lately, there have been blackheads and breakouts galore, but this gorgeous formula covers all blemishes and problem areas like it ain't no thing. It's amazing. It lasts ages too and felt so lovely on the skin. Having never used any Clarins make up before (I'm a massive fan of their skin care though) I was so impressed. The only thing I will say is that the shade I used may have been a tad too dark for my skin tone, especially for this time of year so I might have to test out a lighter shade next but I will definitely be adding this to my Christmas list. Please Santa? 

(What's on my face: Clarins Skin Illusion Natural Radiance Foundation in 109 Wheat, Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Soft Beige, Rimmel Kate Eyeshadow Stick in 100 Rose Gold, Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Holidays, Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick in 30)

 Have you tried Clarins Skin Illusion Natural Radiance Foundation? What did you think? Let me know on twitter, by commenting below (if you do comment I always try to reply so do check back), or dropping me an an email if you really fancy it lolarocknroses@gmail.com.  Also take a sneaky look at my instagram, facebook, Bloglovin & pinterest if you're interested :)

So that's me for today but I hope everyone has an amazing week and I'll be back on Thursday. 

Until then...

Love love love xxx 

First Impressions #2: Rimmel Match Perfection in 200 Soft Beige

First Impressions #2: Rimmel Match Perfection in 200 Soft Beige

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

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So it is Wednesday which usually means it's 2 Stars & A Wish time (read the latest here) round these here parts. But so inspired was I by my recent fixation with foundation I thought I would continue along the same vein as Monday's post and tell you all about my first impressions of another recent addition to my ever growing make up stash. Rimmel Match Perfection in 200 Soft Beige.

Rimmel Match Perfection Light Perfection Radiance Foundation in 200 Soft Beige

 Rimmel Match Perfection Light Perfection Radiance Foundation in 200 Soft Beige. I have swatched it on the back of my hand but I'm not sure if it shows up very well. That's Barry M's Gelly Hi-Shine Polish in Pomegranate on my nails if you're interested ;) 

 I was already a fan of Rimmel's Match Perfection concealer in the same shade (read about it here, here & here)  so I was pretty sure I would like the foundation. However when I first applied it I wasn't particularly impressed. I'm not entirely sure why it just felt a bit... meh. However once it was on I really liked it.  The formula is nice, it's quite runny but goes on smoothly. It gives medium but buildable coverage and I think it made me look really fresh faced and glowy without making me look shiny. Whilst it's not the best foundation I've ever used it is good and at the low price of £6.99 (just over half the price of Revlon's Photoready foundation, read about it here) it's an absolute steal. 

This is what it looks like on. I'm also wearing Rimmel London Match Perfection Concealer, MAC blush in Dame, the Sleek Face Form pallet in Fair, MUA Eyeshadow Pallet in Heaven & Earth, MAC eyeliner in Feline, Revlon Lash Potion Mascara 7 Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry.  

Have you tried Rimmel Match Perfection foundation? What did you think? Love it? Loathe it? Let me know on twitter or by commenting below. If you do comment I do always try to reply so do check back. Also check out my facebook, BlogLovin, instagram and pinterest for your daily fix :) 

Love love love xxxx

First Impressions: Revlon Photoready Foundation in 004 Nude

First Impressions: Revlon Photoready Foundation in 004 Nude

Monday, 18 August 2014

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Hi Guys,

                 Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. I took my niece and nephew to see Rio 2, which I actually enjoyed. Who'd have thunk it?! Anyway...

Revlon Photoready Foundation in 004 Nude

In the last week or so I have developed something of a fascination / obsession with foundation. And one of my lastest purchases is the Revlon Photo Ready Foundation in the shade 004 Nude. I have worn this twice and the first time I was absolutely blown away and loved it. The second time it was hastily applied and I was not as impressed, although I think this was due to the fact that I was in a rush and didn't blend it very well. 

I've swatched it on the back of my hand but you can't really see it. I apologise for my rank hands.

Overall I really like it, it does take some working into the skin but other than that I can't really fault it. It gives medium to full coverage but doesn't look cakey at all. The finish is actually quite dewy which I like, the formula is really nice as well it's not too runny but it's not too thick either. Whilst I don't think the colour would work for me in the wintertime at the moment it's perfect. 

Have you tried Revlon's Photoready Foundation? If so what did you think? Let me know on twitter or by commenting below, if you do comment I always try to reply so do check back :) Also check out my facebook, BlogLovin, instagram & pinterest. 

Love love love xx