Face

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation: Hallelujah for This Hocus Pocus!

April 26th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 31 Comments

I’ve long been enamored with Charlotte Tilbury. The UK-based makeup artist exudes old Hollywood glamour, and her personally designed makeup collection is to die for.

Burgundy and rose gold packaging, names that evoked cosmetic legends and breathtaking hues… For months I agonized over what to buy. Did I want to test a shadow palette first? What about a lipstick? And why was the gorgeous Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds gloss already sold out? Each time I thought I’d made a decision, my mind was promptly changed by another more beautiful item.

But, as I’ve mentioned several times, my head can always be turned by a good foundation, and turned, it was, when a buzz built into a roar over the new Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation.

The care a brand takes in formulating and marketing a base product says a lot to me. Foundations and concealers are often overlooked in favor of more exciting, colorful products like eye shadow, blush and lipstick, so when a foundation, of all things, generates this kind of fuss, I knew I had to have it.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation in Shade 2 Fair ($44)

While not quite as costly as some high-end foundations, Magic Foundation is no less luxurious at $44 per fluid ounce, but despite the price, it’s hard to resist the allure when this is how Charlotte describes this bewitchment in a bottle…

“My Magic Foundation is a miracle in a bottle that transforms skin for all ages, skin tones and skin types. I have worked with laboratories for five years to create a “hyper-intelligent” formula that gives full-coverage yet feels completely weightless, with all the anti-aging and protective benefits of a luxury skin cream. It conceals imperfections, glides on like a dream, and literally feels like a second skin. Whether your skin needs just a bit of perfecting, or you struggle with a frustrating issue like acne, melasma or rosacea, my Magic Foundation will give you a perfect looking skin day, every day!”

— charlottetilbury.com

Given the buzz, I bet you’re wondering what to expect.

Magic Foundation promises a laundry list of beauty advantages, like universality (regardless of age, skin type, or condition), weightlessness, anti-aging benefits, imperfection concealment, glide-on texture — the list goes on!

And if those weren’t enough, Charlotte’s YouTube page also features several tutorials of the makeup artist concealing a variety of skin concerns with Magic Foundation alone. It’s hard not to feel like a moth to a flame with that promise and potential!

I’ve said before that I’m a tinted moisturizer girl, but even though Magic Foundation provides full coverage…it doesn’t feel like full coverage, so I’m going to say what many makeup lovers have already said before: this literally feels like my skin alone.

I have some dry areas on my face, and Magic Foundation doesn’t cling. Even after a long day, Magic Foundation doesn’t need to be touched up. I often wear several concealers, but when applied and set right, Magic Foundation conceals everything for me. It’s like an eerily perfect boyfriend… You keep searching for something wrong, but he’s always bringing you flowers and grande lattes!

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The NARS Under Cover Summer 2016 Collection Dual-Intensity Blushes

April 22nd, 2016 by Adia Goss 26 Comments

NARS Under Cover Summer 2016 Collection Blushes — This packaging makes me so happy!

As part of the NARS Summer 2016 Under Cover collection, NARS released two Dual-Intensity Blushes — Sexual Content and Liberation ($45 each) — and they are, in a word, gorgeous! I love how NARS collections are always wearable but never boring.

The NARS Dual-Intensity Blushes have a very pigmented, soft formula that can be used wet or dry. When used dry, they’re softly luminous, but if you use them with a dampened brush, the shine is more intense.

These two blush duos are incredibly versatile and would work for a wide range of skin tones, and I love that both of the colors in each duo can work layered or alone.

NARS under cover blushes — NARS Dual Intensity Blushes in Liberation (L) and Sexual Content (R)

Sexual Content has a soft peach on the left and a medium pink on the right, and both shades are so pretty! I think the left color would be a great everyday blush for lighter skin tones and a nice sheen/highlighter for darker skin tones. The color on the right is even more universal. The swatches below are with a heavy hand so that you can really see the color, but these can just as easily be applied lightly for a wash of shimmery color.

Liberation has a cool-toned baby pink on the left and a warm rosy/terracota shade on the right. I think the shade on the right is very unique and gives a lovely natural flush. On lighter skin tones, it may also work as a bronzer. Either way, both shades are super pretty and wearable.

nars under cover blush — NARS Liberation Dual-Intensity Blush

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Sephora Radiant Luminizing Drops

April 20th, 2016 by Adia Goss 23 Comments

The long-running Unsung Heroes series here on Makeup and Beauty Blog features some of our all-time favorite permanent collection products.

Like Jen, a lot of the beauty products I end up buying are things I’ve heard good things about from other bloggers and makeup lovers, and so they aren’t necessarily “unsung.” But I do find myself coming back over and over again to the Sephora brand products, because I feel like, in general, Sephora brand products are super underrated. Like, everything is really good, but it’s just like when you go to Sephora, you’re overwhelmed by everything else, so I feel like the Sephora brand stuff just gets overlooked.

There’s actually a Sephora right across the street from my job, which is both awesome and horrible, LOL. So, one day on my lunch break, I was just going to the mall to walk around, and I go into Sephora like I usually do to pass the time and see what they have, and I see this little display of the Sephora brand Radiant Luminizing Drops. There’s a pink one, a gold one and maybe a bronzey-colored one ($14 each), and I did a little sample of the light pink one, Starlight, right then on my hand.

Wow! It was super pretty! It’s this liquid highlighter that’s pink…but it’s, like, warm enough that it actually shows up as pink, and I love pink. It’s my favorite color, especially when it comes to makeup. Like, I’m drawn to anything pink and shimmery, but a lot of times on dark skin, pink, shimmery products appear white and super harsh, so even though I love the color, when it comes to liquid or even powder highlighter, when I see pink, I steer clear, because I think, “This is gonna look super chalky and just crazy on my face.”

So when I tested this on my hand and saw a really pretty soft glowing pink, I thought, “You know what? I’mma just buy this!” And I did! And I love it!

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Blur the Line Between Drugstore and High End with Maybelline’s Master Contour Kits

April 19th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 23 Comments

Maybelline Master Contour Kit in Light to Medium 10 — Mid-application of Maybelline’s Master Contour Kit in Light to Medium 10

I seriously love me some Maybelline. The first palettes I gravitated to as a tween makeup lover were Maybelline, and, as an adult makeup lover, the brand continues to be, by far, the most purchased affordable makeup in my collection. At their price point, I often find their quality to be unrivaled — finely milled powders, fabulous cream shadows that apply like By Terry’s Ombre Blackstars and long-lasting pigment for days.

First time I saw the new Master Contour Palette in Light to Medium 10, which goes for $12.99 (available in Medium to Deep 20, as well), I was immediately reminded of Estée Lauder’s 2016 Bronze Goddess Summer Glow Multi Palette, which retails for over four times as much!

Comprised of a contour shade, a coordinating classic pink blush and a champagne highlighter, this gem poses as an excellent and wallet-friendly substitute to some similar, considerably more expensive summer 2016 releases.

Maybelline Master Contour Kit in Light to Medium 10

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder SPF 15

April 19th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 13 Comments

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder 50 Review — For a subtly sunkissed look, I love wearing Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder SPF 15 in shade 50 dusted all over my face, focusing on the areas that would naturally tan first

The long-running Unsung Heroes series here on Makeup and Beauty Blog features some of our all-time favorite permanent collection products.

Have you ever seen the Gisele Bündchen ad for the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder? She’s literally glowing! I think it was that and the amazing-looking beige compact that made me want to buy it… And god, am I glad I did… I mean, it’s become one of my favorite makeup products of all time. It’s definitely my favorite bronzer of all time. You know, with it Chanel invented a new concept of bronzer… A sheer bronzer that’s impossible to overdo. Like, you really need to load your brush for it to show up, but that’s what I like about it, because, really, you can pack it on as much as you want, like you can keep packing it on, and it’ll never look too much.

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My Foundation Routine (A Collaboration With Marcella)

April 18th, 2016 by Adia Goss 23 Comments

When it comes to applying my foundation, I’ve had a bit of trial and error over the years. When I first started wearing foundation, I just used my fingers. That was back when the heaviest base I’d wear was a super sheer tinted moisturizer, so anything more than my hands seemed like overkill. Then I played around with flat synthetic foundation brushes but couldn’t avoid a streaky finish. My foundation game really stepped up when I started using the Real Techniques buffing brush.

I got it last year, and it changed my life. I don’t even know what I was doing before I started using it, and I swore I’d found “the one.”

But then the makeup sponge hit the scene, and once I tried the Real Techniques makeup sponge…wow. I put down that buffing brush and haven’t used it a single time since. The makeup sponge was PERFECT. I got a flawless finish and, once again, swore I’d never use anything else.

And I didn’t…for about a month.

But when I started using the Diorskin Nude Air Healthy Glow Serum Foundation (that I wore in this post and reviewed in this post), the makeup sponge didn’t quite work. The Dior foundation was just as thin as the L’oreal one I’ve been using lately, but for some reason, the makeup sponge just didn’t produce the finish I was looking for.

I tried the Real Techniques buffing brush, but I couldn’t get a great finish with that either. Since I’d recently gotten a set of Zoeva brushes, I also tried the Silk Finish brush that came in the Luxe Complete Set, and it worked better, but I felt like it took too much work to blend everything in.

Enter the Sephora Collection #53 brush, which turned out to be PERFECT. It’s a wide, flat brush, so it covers a lot of surface area pretty quickly.

foundation brush — Sephora Collection #53 Pro Full Coverage Airbrush.

I love that it only takes a few swipes to cover my face, and it applies my foundation with no streaks. I’d bought it last summer, but for some reason (probably something newer caught my eye), I used it like crazy for about a month, then put it aside.

This just reminded me that sometimes there’s a bit of trial and error in makeup… One tool may work perfectly with one foundation but be totally wrong with another. So, now when someone asks why I have so many makeup brushes, I’ll have an answer ready! 🙂

Because Marcella described her foundation routine earlier today, here’s how I apply my foundation:

Prime my face. To be totally honest, I don’t always apply a separate primer, although I 100% believe that it can make my makeup look better, longer. I’m just lazy and/or in a hurry most mornings. Plus, I’ve been using the new Giorgio Armani UV Skin Primer SPF 50 lately (which I LOVE). When I have the time, I really like to add the Becca Backlight Priming Filter before my foundation. It has a lightly glowy finish, but it’s not over the top (a similar effect to the MAC Strobe Cream).
Mist my makeup brush. I used my Glossier Soothing Face Mist because I am obsessed with rosewater, but a makeup primer or setting spray, or even water will work. I think misting my makeup brush helps it spread my foundation easier.
Apply my foundation starting at my nose and blending out. I just use a couple of drops of the Diorskin Nude Air Healthy Glow Serum Foundation.
I set this foundation using shade ND020 from the Zoeva Nude Spectrum Blush Palette. Like I mentioned in my first impressions video, since this blush is close to my skin color, it totally works as a setting powder!
After applying blush and highlighter, spray the Glossier Soothing Face Mist all over my face. I’m obsessed with facial mists, and spraying them on my face feels so luxurious!

*A note about this foundation: I really like it but had a couple of hiccups before I finally got it to work for me. I initially bought shade 5 (which I was wearing in this post), and when I first wore it at the store, it looked fine. But wearing it out and about during the day, it felt too orange. I actually think this foundation may oxidize slightly, so that’s something to keep in mind if you’re interested in it. So, I exchanged it for shade 4, which I felt was too light at first, but when I asked my brother if my foundation was too light, he was like, “You’re wearing makeup?” (LOL…men!). And, looking at these pictures, it looks fine. The finish is very natural. I was expecting a more glowy finish due to the name, but it’s really a satin finish, which makes sense given that it’s called “healthy glow”. I like that it’s so lightweight, and considering that I only need 3-4 drops to cover my face, this 1-oz. bottle will last a very long time.

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My Foundation Routine (A Collaboration With Adia)

April 18th, 2016 by Marcella Yakalis 3 Comments

My go to: Clinique Stay Matte Oil Free Makeup in Linen ($24 for 1 oz.)

Hey, everyone! Today I’m collaborating with the lovely Adia to show you how I wear my foundation (she’ll be sharing her post later tonight), and also try out a new brush I haven’t gotten a chance to work with yet, the Heavenly Luxe Complexion Master, No. 16, from It Cosmetics ($58).

Now, I don’t often wear foundation (I typically go for a lighter coverage BB cream), but when I do want heavier coverage, these are the products I like to use.

First, I start with a moisturized and primed face, and for primer, I go for e.l.f. Poreless Face Primer. It’s a good dupe for Smashbox in my opinion, although the formula seems to have changed recently, because the smell isn’t quite as pleasant as it once was…

Heavenly Luxe Complexion Master No. 16 brush ($58)

This brush has a lot of plusses, but on my first run through with it doing my normal routine, I noticed that I was really dry and cakey.

Then I remembered something Adia recommends sometimes, which is to wet the brush. So, while doing my look for this post, I made sure to spray some rosewater on the brush before buffing it into my makeup.

I could have used setting spray, but the scent and the whole effect of using rosewater are just so much more appealing to me.

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Nail Understated Poolside Elegance With the Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Collection for Summer 2016

April 13th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 17 Comments

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Summer 2016 — Wearing Estée Lauder Gelée Bronzer under my foundation, Summer Glow Multi-Palette on eyes and cheeks, and Lip and Cheek Summer Glow in Peach Glow on lips and cheeks.

For a makeup lover like myself, there is no more exciting sign of ☀ summer’s impending arrival than the annual appearance of Estée Lauder’s glowing, beachy Bronze Goddess collection and its effortlessly radiant sunlit nudes and bold brights.

This year’s release, which ranges from bonzing gels and powder bronzers to shadow palettes, fragrances and highlighters, has some seriously vintage poolside vibes, and I am loving it! ☺

Throw on your shimmering body oil, floppy hat and vintage sunglasses, and let’s take a look at some of the collection’s sumptuous summer treasures.

Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess 2016 Gelée Bronzer, Summer Glow Multi-Palette, and Lip and Cheek Summer Glow in Fuchsia Lights, Peach Glow

For me and many of the makeup lovers I know, it’s the highlight and bronzing palettes launched with the Bronze Goddess collections that set our hearts aflutter.

The classicly chic Summer Glow Multi-Palette ($50) comes in a tortoise-shell box and houses a soft pink illuminator, a rosy hued blush and an approachable bronzer. Although it was surely designed with faces in mind, it’s worth noting that the shades also work wonders on eyes as well (particularly the highlighter and bronzer). What a way to tie your look together when you’re in a hurry. ☺

The Gelée Bronzer ($32) has an interesting formula that reminds me of Hard Candy Cheeky Tint in Surfer Babe, except that Surfer Babe applies a transparent wash of iced tea color, while Gelée Bronzer deposits a highly pigmented shade a bit more like a liquified form of a powder bronzer.

Emollient and easy to blend, this bronzer gives you a long “working time” before it sets, but BEWARE! A little goes a long way, which you can see in these swatches.

I prefer to use products like Gelée Bronzer under my foundation to allow the slightest glow to show through; this in turn neutralizes some of the orangey-ness that often accompanies pigmented liquid bronzers.

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