Finding your perfect foundation

Hey gals and guys!

In the past few weeks I've been asked a lot of questions about what foundations do I used for everyday light makeup and for more heavy night out makeup. I have a small foundation collection but I can still give you guys some tips on what to look for in foundations.

(L to R: Rimmel Wake Me Up - Ivory (100), Revlon 24hr Colorstay - Buff (150), Bourjois Healthy Mix - Vanilla (52), Bourjois Healthy Mix Gel Serum - Vanilla (52), Make Up For Ever HD - Marble (117) Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream - Light Beige (32)) Pic below: Opposite order. 

What to look for in a foundation? I'll be using these examples above to help you find yourself the perfect foundation!

Skin Tone & Undertone

When I was first looking for foundations, I wasn't actually aware that it wasn't just the colour of your skin that helped you colour match - it was greatly to do with your undertone. Generally, there are three undertones that will help you identify which colour would match you: warm, cool and olive undertones. These can also refer to pink, yellow and neutral undertones. Four of the five foundations above have warm undertones as I have a yellow skin tone. The first foundation is definitely a cool, pinkish undertone which didn't match with my skin whatsoever. Besides that it was light and I could possibly get away with it, I just looked really washed out and ghost-like - it didn't give me that golden glow like my Bourjois Foundation gives me. I find it really important to know what your skin tone and undertone is, so that you don't end up spending loads of money especially on high end products ending up with a pink or too yellow face!

Skin Type

In general, there are four skin types:

• Dry - Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundations, Revlon Colorstay, Rimmel Wake Me Up
• Normal - Bourjois Healthy Mix, Revlon Colorstay
• Combination - Revlon Colorstay for Combination Skin
• Oily - Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream, Make Up For Ever HD Foundation

This is not to say that you can't have dry skin in winter and oily skin in the summer - it is just a key that could help you pick the right foundation formula. For dry skin I would recommend a more dewy formula because it helps hydrate your skin during the day while being able to cover up your imperfections on the skin. The Bourjois Healthy Mix foundations are probably my favourite for hydration because you can really feel the formula blending with your skin and doesn't feel drying at all after I have applied it. Also, some foundations like the Revlon Colorstay have specific categories for their foundations, such as my one which is for normal/dry skin again helping your skin breathe even with foundation on. For those with more pinkish undertones I would recommend Rimmel's Wake Me Up because it is very moisturising, almost to the point of too oily but if you have really dry skin this should definitely hydrate it. For more oily/combination skin, it's better to look for mattifying formulas such as the Bourjois 123 CC Cream because it helps control the oil on your skin and kind of 'soaks it up'. The Bourjois one isn't the best example because it is only semi-matte, so it gives you a dewy but mattified look at the same time. Not many drugstores do have matte foundations, but there are great powders that help set and mattify your foundations such as Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder, Australis Fresh and Flawless Powder and NYX HD translucent setting powders. When I come across a good matte foundation for oily skin I will definitely update you guys on it!

Coverage & Longevity

The coverage you are looking for is important as well because you might not want to look caked up during the day but at night you need that extra coverage. Or even you've chosen a really lightweight foundation that doesn't last long for the night but is decent for daytime.

• Light - Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream
• Medium - Revlon Colorstay
• Medium-Heavy - Rimmel Wake Me Up (especially to 'wake you up' - it can be quite a heavy formula), Make Up For Ever HD Foundation
• Heavy - N/A I don't have any good examples of this
• Buildable - Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundations (can go from very light everyday coverage to a medium-heavy coverage for the night out)

• Doesn't last very long - Bourjois 123 CC Cream
• Average lasting - Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundations, Rimmel Wake Me Up 
• long-lasting - MUFE HD, Revlon Colorstay

High End Vs. Drugstore

The only high end foundation I own is MUFE so I can't really give a substantial comparison between high end and low end but I'll give it a go! Particularly comparing MUFE and Rimmel, because I find that Revlon and Bourjois have excellent quality foundations, there is a big difference on formula. The Rimmel foundation is quite thick and doesn't apply evenly on the skin. The MUFE foundation is great because it can be a thick formula but it blends out beautifully and takes a short amount of time to blend into the skin. Rimmel's formula seems to sit on the surface of the skin rather than blending in for a more natural look. In terms of colour selection, MUFE and other brands like MAC really have a great range - they cater for different skin tones and undertones. Especially Bourjois and Rimmel, they have a very small colour selection. The Healthy Mix only have 3-5 (which are mostly yellow tone) depending on which country they're in, and the Rimmel one has about 7-8 but are mostly pinkish tone. Estee Lauder's Double Wear Foundation has all three undertones. Obviously the price of high end is usually quite steep ranging from $50-$100, and if you get the wrong colour you would've wasted a lot of money! Drugstore foundations in Australia can range from $10-$30 which would be better for those on a budget. 

My all time favourite goes to:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in 52

This foundation is just perfect for me. I have normal skin but it gets quite dry in the winter so the dewy formula is very hydrating. The coverage is build able so I can use it on a quick shopping errand or build it up to medium coverage for those messy nights out. Also, it actually is the perfect colour for me because it is for yellow-tone light (not fair) skin tones so it doesn't make my face look too white. I went to a MAC counter the other day to get colour matched and the retail assistant even said that I have the correct foundation colour on. This was my first ever foundation and I still love it to this day and will continue repurchasing it forever! The fruity smell just also makes it feel like you're putting something fresh on your face. This is definitely my HG!

Thanks for reading and hope this helps you find the perfect foundation for whatever use it is! Feel free to comment on what your HG foundations are :) 

Product Listings and Locations

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation 52 - priceline.com.au, $32.00, asos.com/au, $19.61

Bourjois Healthy Mix Gel Serum 52 - priceline.com.au, $32.00, asos.com/au, $19.61

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream 32 - priceline.com.au, $25.00, asos.com/au, $19.61

MUFE HD Foundation 117 - Make Up Forever US Website, $55.00

Revlon Colorstay normal/dry Foundation 150 - priceline.com.au, $34.95

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation 100 - priceline.com.au, $19.95, asos.com/au, $16.67

Toodles,

Janie :)

First Impressions on Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette and Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

Happy Uni-break everyone! :)

Today's post will be my first impressions on Too Faced Chocolate Bar and Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette. I received these by my beloved friends for my birthday, and I haven't had time to really test it out. These are my first high end eyeshadows so I'm super duper excited! Previously I have used drugstore brands such as Physician's Formula, Maybelline Colour Tattoos, various palettes by chichi cosmetics  Crown 88 Neutral Palette which I loved, but I dropped it and now most of the colours are smashed :( I'm not very good at using eyeshadows but these seem like they'll help a lot! 

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

(Swatches of colours: L to R)

What I like:

• These colours compliment each other well, there is a good mixture of matte and shimmery colours. Previously I have used the Chi Chi cosmetics eyeshadows and they are all so shimmery which makes it hard for everyday use. There are 5 matte shades that are neutral and can be used as the base.
• Most of the shimmery colours are very well pigmented and could easily be swatched. The texture is buttery and feels nice on the lids. I love the range of colours as well, going from a darker maroon red to the violet colours. It is very versatile for achieving many looks
• IT SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE... and tastes sweet too. Unique to Too Faced, this chocolate bar drew its inspiration from one of its other products, the Chocolate Soleil Bronzer.Funny story: when I received this at my dinner, my friends actually tasted the eyeshadows to see if they tasted like chocolate. They were sweet but didn't taste like chocolate unfortunately. Also one of my friends said that each shadow should taste like its name (not a bad idea). 
• I really love the fact that all the names are types of sweets which just makes the palette so much more authentic and unique. 
• The magnetic, slim packaging is great for travel and storage. You're not afraid of it breaking or anything like that - another problem that I have with Chi Chi eyeshadow palettes. The fact that it is a chocolate bar just makes it all the more tempting to get it.
• There is a mirror, which again great for travelling and anything on the go. 

Some issues I had:

• The colours are all very nice but for a palette that costed $68.95, I would've expected the base colours to be more pigmented. If you can see in the swatches, the second colour (white chocolate) is hardly visible. The fact that the shadow area is bigger than the other ones show that it should be the one used the most. I am disappointed in some of the colours such as this and strawberry bon bon (well I guess the matte colours). The colour pay off isn't great and it just doesn't show up on the lids at all. What is the point of having a lot of matte colours without them actually showing up on the lids. They really need to change the formula for matte colours especially in this palette. I've seen other smaller palettes with highly pigmented matte colours. 
• This is a minor issue, but the lid goes all the way down, so when you are applying makeup you need to physically hold up the mirror. (I know, first world problems) but it is quite annoying to be flopping around the mirror. I tend to just use the bigger mirror i have at home while applying this eyeshadow. 
• Another minor problem - it didn't come with anything complementary. The naked palette came with a double sided brush and sample primers. For $68.95, you'd expect at least one perk!
• Whilst the colours all feel nice on the lids, I feel like the colours when they are swatched do not look the same on the lids - maybe its just me though. 

Overall Verdict:

3.5/5

•  The mixture of neutral colours are great and you could definitely do a lot of looks from this but for the price I was really hoping for the texture and colour pay off to be just a bit better. I also own the Too Faced Romantic Palette and all the colours are ALL velvety, not just the shimmery ones. They need to work on their matte colours like I said.
• I am happy owning this palette because it does have a great range of neutral colours but in terms of texture I would definitely go for the Naked Palettes as I will review below. 

Urban Decay's Naked 3 Palette

 (Swatches: L to R on the palette above)

What I like:

• This is truly a gorgeous palette - I love how Urban Decay has certain colour schemes for their palettes. The Naked 3 is a rose-gold based palette ranging from lighter pink tones to the darker ones, and then finally the more brown colours. Unlike the Chocolate Bar which has a range of neutrals, this palette mostly has the pinks and browns. This is good because I can use the two palettes tougher and have more range of colours. I don't know about the other urban decay palettes, but this one also contains matte shades, with the first colour which is a base like Too Faced Milk Chocolate colour (although this one is much more pigmented as you can see)
• The texture of this palette is unbeatable. The shadows are all so buttery and apply so effortlessly onto the lids. Even though it has matte shades, I feel like Urban Decay has also made these colours buttery and more pigmented unlike Too Faced Chocolate Bar.
• The packaging is also really nice, I love the long rectangles of colours because it looks so neat in the packaging. It is also a metal frame but with plastic on the inside. It is not a metal snap lock but a plastic-key lock kind of thing. The mirror is bigger than Too Faced Chocolate Bar and has hinges so you can see yourself easier. Even though it is a bit thicker, I find that it is still quite compact and feels a bit sturdier with its metal exterior and plastic interior. 
• It comes with extras! The Naked 1 and 2 came with one brush with only one end, but they're combined the two for Naked 3 which is the best of both worlds! In the box you also get 4 sample primers ranging from normal skin to anti-aging formulas. 

Some Issues that I had:

• Like I said, there is a rose-gold colour scheme which means that these shadows obviously won't match everything that you're wearing so it is a bit limited. e.g. you are wearing all blue - the pinks won't really match up with it. 
• Some of the colours wash me out - maybe because I'm asian and have some pink undertones. I usually have to match the colours with the darker brown ones to accentuate my eyes more. 
• No other real issues here, just the palette is targeted for those who do want a particular colour scheme - it is less versatile than the Chocolate Bar

Overall Verdict:

4/5

• This is a beautiful palette that you can just stare at all day without using it. The colours are all so pigmented and velvety which is what you would expend from a high end eyeshadow palette.
• If you already own naked 1 and 2, or any other neutrals you should definitely go for this palette as it gives you the rose-gold colour scheme that is unique to Urban Decay. 
• If you don't own any eyeshadows yet I will hold out on this one because it is quite expensive, not available in Australia and is not as versatile for everyday looks like the Chocolate Bar.
• Overall, I am very impressed and as I have never owned a Naked Palette, this is a good first impression of it.

Products Listings and Prices

Too Faced Chocolate Bar - $68.95 @ meccacosmetica.com.au (available online and in stores)
Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette - $80 @ beautybay.com.au (only available online, not available at stores in Australia)


Thanks for reading the blog guys! Really appreciate it and I hope that they continue to help you with your makeup :) Also you can comment on your opinions about them below!

Toodles,
Janie