Review | Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation

My journey to finding the perfect base has been a long one and many a mistake has been made along the way. I’ve tried tinted moisturisers, BB creams, stick, compact and liquid foundations at every price point from pretty much every brand on the market. This one trumps them all.



The lightweight, practical packaging is easily transportable and makes for minimal wastage.

Before: Hello blotchy skin and thread veins!

Just a small amount is needed to give flawless coverage.



After: This was taken after applying a small amount of the foundation, before powder or blusher. You can see the luminous finish it gives to the skin. 

Why do I love it so?

• The lightweight, squeezy tube packaging makes it ideal for travelling or carrying around in your handbag, and there’ll be very little wastage when it starts to run out.
• I’ve never really got to grips with fuller coverage foundations before, finding them too heavy and tricky to blend. This one offers medium to full cover which can be built up without ever looking cakey. 
• It’s very densely pigmented, so only the teeniest of blobs is needed to give amazing coverage. Even though it's not cheap this makes it good value for money.
• It blends beautifully and easily - perfect for when you’re in a rush. I find it applies best using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush (from their Core Collection).
• The finish is neither matt nor dewy, but somewhere in between. There's a luminosity to the skin whilst wearing it with not a hint of shimmer or sparkle.
• It doesn’t contain SPF so can be used at night when flash bulbs may be popping. It would make a gorgeous bridal base for the same reason.
• I get a good seven hours wear on my combination skin - even longer when used with a primer, though a dusting of powder doesn't go amiss halfway through the day.
• It would work well on those who need more coverage, and on mature complexions I reckon. It certainly doesn't settle into the fine lines that have started to appear since I hit my thirties. 
• Did I mention the coverage? It even disguises the pesky red thread veins around my nose meaning I can skip concealer. Remarkable given the small quantity I use.

You get the point - I really like this foundation. 

I do have one niggle though: There are ten shades to choose from and my closest match, Rose Ivory, is a tad too warm for my pale skin. Under normal circumstances that would immediately place it on the REJECT pile (you know I have a fear of Orange Face), but because everything else is just so damn good, I was willing to hand over my cash for it after trying a sample.

At a not insubstantial £34.00, that makes it one of the more expensive face products I've bought, but I think the quality, longevity and coverage are worth it overall. In summer, I'm hoping it'll become a perfect match too.

So, not quite the holy grail of foundations for me, but certainly the best one I've tried so far. 

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation | £34.00



Photography outtake

It's impossible to get any work done with this dude around!


Buddy the budding beauty blogger perhaps?

Clinique Foundation Five Day Sample

I’m a big fan of foundation samples. Not only does shop lighting make it nigh on impossible to get an accurate colour match, there’s just nothing like trying something for yourself at home before handing over your hard earned cash. Whereas you may slap foundation on with your fingers of a morning, an in-store beauty advisor can happily while away fifteen minutes blending it in beautifully with an expensive brush. Not that the latter method is necessarily better, but you will get a different effect. 

Having made many, many horrible choices in the past (see my foundation graveyard for evidence) I now refuse to buy foundation without trying a sample at home first. 

To coincide with the launch of their online Foundation Finder, Clinique are currently offering a free five day sample from any of their counters. 

Clinique was one of the first brands I got into when I was younger so I’ve tried their foundations before. I like that they have a good colour range and can accommodate my pale skin. Whereas back in the day, Superbalanced fitted the bill, nowadays I prefer slightly more coverage. After a quick chat with their advisor at Boots, I was prescribed Even Better Makeup in Alabaster (incidentally I just did the online Foundation Finder and got the same result). I was seriously impressed with the amount they are offering in their samples. There’s enough to enable me to try it out a few times - with a brush, with fingers, during the day and at night. I’ve used it once so far - a two minute rush job before work - and first impressions are good.

If you’re passing a Clinique counter this weekend, it’s definitely worth taking advantage of this offer. If you do, I’d love to know how you get on.

Review | Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation

Sleep is one of my favourite things, so the promise of capturing a perfectly rested face in a £10 bottle of base was too good to resist. The question is though, was it too good to be true?

Bourjois say...

“Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation comes to the rescue when concealing signs of fatigue like dark circles, imperfections in skin tone, and a dull complexion. It is enriched with a high concentration of vitamins and minerals, for revitalised and energised skin.”

Mojito says...

Works well for: This is a great foundation for those who prefer a natural looking, light, dewy base. Matte textures can be very aging, so the light coverage and dewy finish make it ideal for both young and mature skin alike. It works best for normal to dry skin types.

Avoid if: Avoid this foundation if you have oily skin. Same goes for open pores or pock marks - it will only emphasise them. It’s not for you if you prefer a fuller coverage either.

Pre-application, things are looking tired and blotchy. Oh and let's not forget that perfectly placed pimple on the bridge of my nose. 

Packaging: Lightweight and easily transportable, this peachy bottle gets a thumbs up from me. The hygienic pump applicator offers easy control so there’s no wastage. Me likes.

Shades: With a measly five, mainly Caucasian shades to choose from, it's not going to suit everyone. The lightest offering, 71 Abricoté Clair, is the perfect colour match for my pale, neutral skin tone though. A pleasing find.

SPF: For what I consider to be a daytime foundation, it's surprising that it doesn't contain any SPF.

Applying with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush gives more coverage than applying with fingers.

Scent: Despite my preference for unscented facial skincare and make up, I like the floral rose scent. It didn’t aggravate my sensitive skin which is sometimes a problem with fragranced products. 

Texture: Flowing freely out of the pump applicator with a rather runny texture, this is a true liquid foundation. It’s so liquid in fact, that more than one pump has a tendency to run all over my hand as I’m applying it. I now apply one pump at a time and add another as and when I need it.  

Post-foundation, but pre-concealer, powder and blush. Two pumps have given a light, natural looking, dewy finish. Things are looking more even, less blotchy. The pimple is disguised, but alas, not eradicated.

Coverage: Offering a light, natural coverage, the 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation can be built up slightly, but it’s never going to mask any major flaws or imperfections. Using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply gives a slightly higher level of coverage than when applied with fingers, and that’s been my preferred option.

Finish: Given that this is designed as a fatigue busting base, it’s no surprise that the 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation results in a dewy, plump finish. There’s a subtle brightening effect, which I’ve welcomed during these winter months when my skin looks a little lacklustre. 

Longevity: On my combination skin (normal overall, with dryness around my eyes and oiliness on my nose), it lasts around 4 hours before things start to get very shiny. Not great. A primer underneath improved things slightly, but it’s not a particularly long-lasting product. However, the small and light packaging means a mid-day touch-up isn’t too problematic if you're so inclined.

Value for money: At £9.99, this is a well priced foundation. Its lack of staying power reduces its VFM for me a little, but not so much that I wouldn't consider repurchasing it.

Concealer, a light dusting of powder and a pop of blush finish off the look and showcase the glow-giving benefits of the 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation. The pimple has been well disguised by my trusty Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer.

Verdict: Offering a little more coverage than a tinted moisturiser and with the added bonus of skin care benefits, the 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation is a good choice for people who don’t usually like wearing foundation. Its light formulation is easy to apply without ever looking cakey, and the dewy finish is youthful and glow-giving. Things can get a little TOO glowy around the nose, chin and forehead though, so I’d recommend a dusting of loose powder to minimise shine and set the base, even on dryer skin. Overall, it did a reasonable job of evening out my blotchiness but it loses points for its short wear time. Whilst I can’t say it left me looking as if I’d indulged in ten hours of sleep, it can't be expected to work miracles, can it? 

Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation |£9.99 | Widely available

The Foundation Series: How to Find the Right Shade

Tinted moisturisers, BB creams, powder foundation, liquid foundation, you name it, I've tried the lot. And now, I have a cemetery of unusable bottles forlornly sitting in my cupboard. 

RIP: My foundation cemetery.

All too often, I've bought a product which looks great in the shop only to get it home and find it's completely the wrong shade. 

As I said in my ode to Nigella, a good colour match is key when it comes to your base, but this is often a lot tricker than it should be. Here's why:

1. Inept sales advisers

In my time I've been "colour matched" with foundations four shades too dark. Um, that's not really a match is it, love? I've been "colour matched" over the top of a foundation I've told them is the wrong shade. Pass me a wet-wipe! I've been "colour matched" to the shade on my wrist. I don't wear foundation on my wrist!

We trust these women because they are paid to know what they are talking about. Trust your instincts instead - if you don't feel that they've matched you correctly, tell them. If you're still unsure, walk away.

2. Bad lighting 

Shop lighting makes it really hard to buy the right foundation. What looks like the perfect match in the shop can look like it's been bought for someone else when you get it home. There are two ways round this. 

Firstly, try a couple of shades on both sides of your face - cover a decent area, not just a small strip - and go outside to take a look. Granted, you may feel like a prize poser for gazing into a mirror in the middle of the high street, but you're far more likely to buy the right product this way.

My preferred option is to ask for a small sample to take away. Most premium counters will oblige, although annoyingly, some still don't. Samples from drugstore brands are virtually non-existent, though it's worth taking in a small pot and asking if you can fill it with a few pumps of the base you'd like to try. Trying a product at home enables you to see how it looks in different lighting and how it wears throughout the day. It also means you can apply it yourself, as opposed to having a sales assistant apply it for you. Most days I use my fingers, whilst they tend to use a brush and this creates a different effect. 

3. Limited shade ranges

Some brands - the likes of Bourjois and Rimmel, for example - offer some great formulations but unless you match with one of the few, mainly Caucasian shades on offer, you're scuppered. If you do find a match, lucky you. If you're particularly pale like me, or you have a darker skin tone, you may struggle and it's worth upping your budget and shopping around. This problem isn't just confined to the cheaper drugstore brands though - I've yet to find a match at Chanel or Smashbox, who also have limited ranges.

And so, my hunt for the perfect foundation continues...

Love,

Miss Mojito
xxx

The Flawless Miss Lawson

It was not the food that excited me whilst watching the new Channel Four show, The Taste. Oh no, it was the absolute sheer perfection that is Nigella Lawson. 

Glossy nude lips, seductive smokey eyes, long lashes, a cleavage enhancing dress... This is a woman who knows what suits her, and boy does she rock her look.

There was one thing that particularly struck me though - her FACE. I demand to know what foundation that woman uses! Not a blemish in sight and matching her porcelain skin tone perfectly, it was flawless. 

I've long been on the hunt for the perfect face base and for me, colour match is key. It's not that texture and formula aren't important - they are - but buy the most expensive formulation in the wrong shade and it will never look good.

We've all seen it, and most of us have probably been guilty of it at some point in our make-up wearing lives: Yes, I'm talking Orange Face. Orange Face does not make you look tanned, it just makes you look cheap. Fact.

If Nigella were to offer advice on such things, here's what I'm guessing she'd say: 

1. One's face should always be the same shade as one's neck. 

2. One should not sport a line where one's face ends and one's ears begin.

3. One should not leave orange marks on one's collars. Eugh. 

For her foundation alone, Nigella is a lesson to womankind and I, for one, am definitely #teamnigella.

Love,

Miss Mojito

xxx