First Look| Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream in 530 Light Medium

 In the summertime I tend to oscillate wildly between loving ALL TEH BASE MAKEUPZ solid bulletproof coverage or  #Iwokeuplikedisnobasejustflawless sheer coverage. Base tends to glop up rather quickly in humidity for me and my skin turns into a true combination type when it gets hot.

Covergirl's Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation is a big drugstore hit in my book when it comes to lightweight demi-matte formulas, so I spared no time tracking down their newest Clean Matte BB Cream ($8.49 at drugstores). The only problem with Covergirl, and many other drugstore brands, is often the abysmal shade range and lack of olive undertones.

Somewhat fortunately, the Clean Matte BB comes in 6 shades from Fair to Deep and I chose Light Medium 530 for my NC30 skin. Covergirl's shade range is notoriously pink but Light Medium is a yellow leaning neutral beige that matches me. Light looks to be pink leaning and Medium is much too orange/golden for me. Although it's marketed as a "BB", there is no SPF or skincare benefits in this formula and you should rely on a separate product for sun protection.

I've swatched UD Naked Skin Foundation in 4.0 (most olive), MAC Waterweight in NC30 (most peach), Covergirl Matte BB in 530 Light/Medium, and L'oreal Pro Glow in 205. I think it's a neutral yellow. In direct sunlight, you can tell that it's more "grey" than my cool yellow neck.

This is outdoor lighting. 

Indoor lighting. 

Flash. 

Once again, Covergirl managed to impress me with a budget friendly base that offers great coverage and wears beautifully on the skin. The packaging is simple and sanitary and the product has no strong scent.

Coverage: This BB cream offers a solid medium coverage. It will hide redness and slightly pigmented spots, but a concealer is needed for blemishes. I find that I still need a bit of under eye concealer after one coat, but this BB can also be built up in thin layers. I use about 2 pea size dots for the entire face.

Wear: I choose to set this BB down for maximum wear time, but I've worn it alone for 5 hours of perfect wear and slight oil breakthrough on my t-zone at the 8 hour mark. It's really perfect for running errands, more natural skin days, or anytime you don't want to worry about your skin looking *too* perfected. I find it to be very similar to the RSG foundation, but Light-Medium is decidedly more yellow than the shades from that range.

Finish: The demi-matte finish can look flat on the drier parts of my skin, but it doesn't cake up or bunch into fine lines, textural issues, or pores. You can let change it to a "satin" finish by letting your natural oils peek through, not setting the product, and/or mixing it with a liquid luminizer or lotion. I prefer to wear an iridescent blush with this base to add some life back into my skin.

Here's a freshly applied layer.

Clean Matte BB won't be a great hit for dry skin types this summer, but anyone from normal to oily will find it agreeable. I personally find myself reaching for it on a daily basis! It performs like a mid-range foundation with a wallet friendly price tag.

xo Be

First Look| L'oreal Pro Glow Foundation

The L'oreal Pro Matte Foundation is basically a cult classic at this point and I've ran through two tubes even with a self proclaimed dry skin type. So, when the L'oreal Pro Glow foundation ($12.99) began to blow up on YouTube, I was beyond ecstatic to see if it could be a potential Holy Grail.

Ingredients are listed inside a sticker. 

Based on Trendmood's swatches, I thought that 202 Creamy Natural would be a match for a cool olive NC20. However, it looks to be a neutral NC15! The middle range of shades seem to be very similar, but 205 Natural Beige is the most olive yellow match for NC30-35 and is my current match.

I've got Dior Forever 21, UD Naked in 4.0, L'oreal Pro Glow in 205 and 202 swatched in direct sunlight.

Indoors with flash. I repeat, 202 is NOT a cool yellow/olive!! Looks like a neutral NC17-20 to me. 205 is a true NC30, as MAC formulates their liquid bases, in terms of depth and golden hue. It doesn't look completely stark against my tan body, but I could stand to blend it down my cool boiled chicken neck. 

A lot of bloggers and YouTtubers claim that it gives a medium-full coverage but maintains a satin leaning dewy finish on the skin.  At this point, a lot of drugstore base products are rivaling the performance (and price!) of mid range and high end ones. I'd have to say that a lot of consumers are upset at the abysmal shade range and tonal variety (50 shades of medium pinks, anyone?) The Pro Glow line is generally much less "yellow" than the matte line.

Beware, it smells strongly of alcohol but  the scent dissipates within 10 seconds or so. 

Consistency: The foundation is a true liquid that's easy to blend and easier to over-squeeze. It's much more runny than the Pro Matte, so use a light hand with the squeeze tube. I would suggest using a damp Beauty Blender rather than a buffing brush with this foundation. It seems to like a pounce motion rather than a sweep/swirl motion to blend best with your skin. I like the finish best with a very thin layer applied with a BeautyBlender.

Coverage: Solid medium. It could be full if you don't have major hyper-pigmentation. I found that it only slightly hid my dark spots and blemishes but completely evened out my skin. Concealer is needed for dark circles.

You can decide for yourself how natural it looks on bare skin.

Wear: This is where this base falls short. It tended to pool into my pores (even the smallest ones), patched up by mid-day, and looked absolutely terrible on peach fuzz. Not to mention, it managed to direct eye traffic to sebaceous filaments on my nose! I've tried it with and without moisturizer/primer/powder, but a multitude of layered products couldn't solve the poor wear time and appearance on the skin.

Here it is, looking innocuously smooth upon dry down. I wish it could STAY this way for 9 hours. Can you say miracle drugstore foundation?

The "glow" factor, however, remained true throughout the day without getting greasy. I would say that the Pro Glow will not work with poor skin texture that often comes with dry skin, and it may work better for those with combination skin types who wants a bit of glow without looking absolutely greasy.

Here it is set under makeup after 2-3 hours. It's not full coverage enough for my chin breakouts, and I suspect it may have given me clogged pores. It seems like a dupe of Too Faced Born This Way foundation in terms of texture and wear on the skin if you ask me. If that was a big hit for you, you'll love how this is a cheaper alternative.

WHOMP WHOMP.



Overall, this was a huge miss for me. I would've really preferred something more forgiving to the rough texture that my skin is currently experiencing. Fine lines? In it goes. Pimples? Tada!

xo Be

Review| Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder in Translucent

Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder in Translucent ($8.99 at Walgreens) is an impulse buy spurred on by Tati from YouTube. I saw a Graveyard video where she was purging her powders and powder foundations and she had three tubs of these that she refused to let go.

It looks very pink toned in the tub but with a light dusting it is translucent and doesn't add any color or coverage over my liquid foundation. I'm a fan of my Laura Mercier tub o' powder, but it can get a little too mattifying at times. Ever since moving to Northern Cali, my skin has been dry enough to forgo powder. However, foundation never holds up well in air conditioned office spaces and a powder is the best preventative step I take to stop liquids from breaking up on the skin.

The Coty Airspun has some great pros:

• Translucent and not pink toned.
• Can be layered without looking cakey.
• Lightweight and very finely milled.
• Lots of product for a low price ( I hear that some can find a tub for less than 4 bucks at certain drugstores!)
• Blurs fine lines and pores (but no effect on my deeper laugh line.)
• Works well with dry to normal skin.

But also some cons:

• Very strong fragrance. It smells like powdery roses and doesn't linger for more than 15 minutes, but I can see how many can be turned off by the scent.
• The tub does not have a screw-on lid and isn't friendly for touch ups or traveling.
• As with any loose powder, there is a lot of potential for messy powder residue on your vanity and work station.
• Useless puff is useless.

 It creates this dreamy airbrushed effect that's very similar to the NARS Light Reflecting version but for a fraction of the price. The packaging also states that you can use this as a powder foundation. Somehow, without adding a pink tinge, it can be powdered over bare skin to hide redness and pores! 

If you're on a budget and don't mind scented products this setting powder is a true workhorse. I believe they have colored versions of this powder, so I'm searching for a more yellow based and light coverage edition.

xo Be

Collection| NYX Butter Glosses

NYX Butter Glosses ($4.99) are my favorite glosses to wear besides MAC Cremesheen formulas. 

Though my collection is modest, you should see the 3 backups I have of Creme Brulee. It's the perfect milky nude for warm skintones especially in the NC20-40 range. 

They're pigmented to be worn alone but also a great topper for lipsticks or liner. 

I have: Creme Brulee, Angel Food Cake, Maple Blondie, Fortune Cookie, and Peaches and Cream.

Here they are swatched (2-3 passes) and under indirect outdoor lighting. 

Here they are under direct sunlight. Don't mind the sodium packet and spoon in the background...my husband's diet is less than ideal and that keg won't grow on its own!

These are my HG lip glosses. Why?

• They are non-sticky and slightly moisturizing, meaning I can wear them alone and feel confident enough to skip out the door.
• They don't gloop up when reapplied and last for around 4 hours if I don't eat or drink.
• There's a large color range to choose from.
• They smell like dessert...a sugary sweet scent that isn't overpowering or fake. 

The only bad part? More pigmented colors tend to bleed outside of my lip lines (curse these small lips!!!) I remedy that by applying only the smallest amount onto the middle of my lips. 

Let's admit it, anything over 20 bucks for a lip gloss is preposterous. You can find these at drugstores carrying NYX (and definitely Ulta) to collect all of the shades if your heart desires without breaking the bank.

xo Be

Review| Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

So what's the big deal with primer? It can prolong your foundation's wear time, minimize pores and fine lines, and generally help your base glide on effortlessly.

With so many primers available on the drugstore market, however, it's hard to see why anyone would rather pay upwards of 30 bucks for something that's almost an unnecessary step to some. For most days, I'm content with a good moisturizer (with SPF 30) and a foundation. In the summer, that's condensed down to an all-in-one BB cream or tinted moisturizer.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser is the cutest product I've seen that doesn't do anything a primer is supposed to do. In fact, it helps my foundation glide....right off.

For under 6 dollars retail, it's really not hard to pass up (a "why the hell not" product, if you will.) The squeeze tube packaging helps dispense the tiniest amount that you need for the entire face. I didn't smell anything too strong or offensive, and the clear texture is typical for a primer. I likened it to Tarte's Clean Slate primer or even Rimmel's Fix and Perfect 002 in terms of product resemblance.

 Upon first application, it definitely felt very silicone-y and slippery. This doesn't stop. In fact, the feeling of slip continued into the day every time I accidentally touched my face. Unlike Benefit's Porefessional, this primer doesn't dry down to a powdery or matte finish. It's definitely the biggest negative of the product, until I realized that it prevented my foundation from clinging to the dry patches around my nose and chin area. In fact, my skin had never looked smoother! I don't have super huge pores, but it did seem to blur them even if it did nothing to reduce the appearance of my laugh lines.

I think ultra-dry skinned gals or anyone looking to correct a dry patch or two would be really happy with this. Otherwise, even normal skinned people will be frustrated at the performance of this product.

Do you wear primer every day or reserve them for special events?

XO, Be

Collection| Pinky Peach Blushes

Y'know how sometimes you try to find a dupe for a discontinued color and suddenly end up with a million variations of the darn thing, but they are all just a tad off to be an exact replacement?

*silent rage*

Blush used to be at the bottom of my list, next to bland essentials such as eyeliner (if it's black it will do) and concealer (thick enough for the zit and I'm golden.) I had a CoverGirl blush that I treasured for ages because my best friend in high school said it was the exact match of the lovely flush I get by tilting my head down and letting blood rush to my head.

We tested this like a bunch of rabid AIDS monkeys in store.

 Flash forward a few years, I discovered a blush from an unknown Sephora palette that was exactly the color of peaches and cream, with just a hint of pink that made it wearable rather than clownish. Enter the never-ending search for the dupe. This in itself is awkward and a first sign of obsessive compulsive disorder, because I haven't even used up the pan.

Most of these blushes apply very sheer on me and impart a slight glow rather than full on color. This is my natural "just ran a mile, threw up in a ditch, pulled five muscle groups not attached to the legs, and walked two cool down laps" barely-there flush color, because I probably slithered and crawled the entire way. For most days that I don't want to bother with a statement cheek, which is most of all days, I usually will throw on one of these blushers.

See that tiny little pan in the middle? That's the blush I'm trying to dupe. 

From bottom to top: Flower Beauty Win Some/Rouge Some in Peach Blossom, "" in Forget-me-not, Illamasqua Lover, TheBalm Frat Boy, L'Oreal True Match blush in Precious Peach, MAC Prolongwear blush in Stay By Me, Physician's Formula Multi-Colored Blush in Blushing Peach, Sephora unknown. 

 From left to right: Flower Beauty Win Some/Rouge Some in Peach Blossom, "" in Forget-me-not, Illamasqua Lover, TheBalm Frat Boy. 

From left to right: L'Oreal True Match blush in Precious Peach, MAC Prolongwear blush in Stay By Me, Physician's Formula Multi-Colored Blush in Blushing Peach, Sephora unknown.

My arm is about an NC30-NC35 at the moment, so the paler shades are shy and need to be built up. Also, the first three on the left are the only ones with staying power after attack of the tissue. 

As you can see, Illamasqua Lover is the one blush that is the true orange in the lot, even though the color in pan looks very similar if not a tad more peachy than its friends. Flower Beauty's Peach Blossom is also significantly more pink than the rest of the lot. These are what I call "impulse buys", but they are really pretty nonetheless. 

From all of these blushes, MAC's Stay By Me or L'oreal Precious Peach seems to be the closest dupe for Sephora's, but it is well nigh impossible to show up on my NC30 skin. Perhaps at NC20 I will achieve a true peaches and cream complexion. As for now, they will have to sit on strike. 

I really enjoy all of these and find that on my dry skin, lasting power is not a huge concern. I usually get about five hours of wear from any blush (except Tarte's which last about 5 years.) If you're around NC or NW15-NC25, I'm sure these blush colors will work exceptionally well. Even these pale beauties can look ashy on me at the moment. Which is why I'm currently working with TheBalm Frat Boy and Illamasqua Lover for better pigmentation. Anyone above NC40 will just have to find blushers that are much more mauve, berry, or highly pigmented to flatter your complexion. 

Bee tee dubs, I think Sephora's blush is actually called Pink Flush 07 and it's currently on sale for 5 bucks, but I refuse to buy and have it be another dupe rather than the real thing. And the worst part is, I have MAC's Immortal Flower, Warm Soul, and Happy Together coming in the mail. They are pinky peach. 

That's all for today. Happy Hump Day!

Be

Review | Maybelline Eye Studio in Copper Chic

I am not a drugstore eyeshadow person. When I walk by drugstore counters, my eyes automatically look for mascaras, foundation, and lipsticks, simply because the packaging for eyeshadows tend to be so cheap. In high school, a close friend used drugstore shadow quads and I always felt like they were too sheer or too chunky in the glitter department. The snob in me doesn't appreciate plastic caps that snap off when dropped.

However, after a few reviews on YouTube complimenting these Maybelline quads for their buttery texture, I figure it wouldn't hurt to give them a try. I picked mine up at Wal-Mart for $7.41 (so precise) but I believe they are below $10 at most stores.

Swatches: Refer to pictures below. These are taken under natural lighting indoors (oxymoron, but I have a skylight).

Packaging: First I like how these include four shades (and a cursed foam applicator) for portability. From left to right, you have just enough colors to create two or three eye looks with dimension. For seven bucks, a mirror is too much of a demand, I guess.

Color: As I'm drawn to neutrals, I really enjoy the colors of the quad because they are not too cool or warm. The highlight shade is very subtle despite how it looks it the pan. The darkest color, a mauve-y warm burgundy, is not too dark for a daylight look. They are all sparkly (figures) rather than matte but not garish.

The payoff is noticeable and not shabby at all for a drugstore formula. The only problem is making these last, but a primer held them up for 4 hours and some fading after that mark.

Application: These do much better patted on in a precise manner and then blended out with a separate brush. They are liable to fly everywhere and cause fall-outs if you pack it directly onto a blending brush and go straight for the lids. In this respect the small foam applicator actually works well for inner corners and creases.

Overall, despite the cheap packaging, these are a step up from the drugstore eyeshadows I remember and abhor. I still wouldn't purchase another quad just for the hell of it, but if you're on a budget or want to add some shadows into your collection without breaking the bank, you can definitely rely on these.

Be

First Look | Drugstore for Fall

Let's get right into this one!



From left to right: Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation in 35 Sand, L'Oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner, Color Tattoo Pure Pigments in Buff & Tuff and Downtown Brown, and L'oreal True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup in W4.

Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation in 35 Sand

I am really looking forward to see how the Dermablend will work as a tattoo cover up and concealer. I've seen how this works wonders on facial scarring and acne spots in Lisa Eldridge's tutorials, but wasn't sure I needed it until now since I may be starting work at a conservative company.

I was pretty surprised that the original price of the product was a whopping 30 dollars for 1 fl. oz. Thankfully, I got it on discount for 22 dollars. Still rather expensive for something that's "drugstore", eh?

The formula is thick, but runny enough to spread. Too bad the color selection is awful and hard to gauge in store. I figured Sand would be an alright match for a tan skintone, but I'm really using this for my inner forearm tattoo. I couldn't tell if Nude was yellow enough, and Gold looked way too dark.

L'Oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner

This seems like a great dupe for WEN cleansing conditioners. I am halfway through my WEN trial bottle in Almond Mint, and so far I am loving the results. Too bad the price point is too much to repurchase. I figured since Essie from essiebutton was raving so hard about the Evercreme line I might as well give this a shot. My ends are very dry and could use some TLC.

Color Tattoo Pure Pigments in Buff & Tuff and Downtown Brown

I'm usually not a fan of loose pigments in general, since they get very messy and don't have great color payoff, but I had to get some to try for myself. I think these would look really great over their color tattoos or a white base (NYX Milk, duh herro!) I will have to wait until I get my hands on an eyeshadow brush before I can demo these for you.

and finally...

L'oreal True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup in W4.

I had good results with the original formula, but haven't revisited the line in quite a while. For some reason, I freaked out in the dead of winter and denied all possibility that I could get as tan as W4. (Yeah, it looked ORANGE on my NC20 tone at the time.) I threw it away and never looked back. Now, with a month of summer left and a move to SoCal, I figure reinvesting in a new bottle wouldn't be so bad. In all honesty, this is one of the best drugstore foundations I've tried in a while. I'll be doing a review for you within the week.

That's it for my brief drugstore haul. I'm very curious about how these will turn out and have high expectations for all of them. I am really hoping that the cleansing conditioner will do the same job as my WEN, fingers crossed. I know I only have a month left of summer, but hopefully the LA heat will keep me tan and NC30 throughout the fall, too.  Have you guys gotten your hands on the Pure Pigments yet? What do you think?

Be

Review: Revlon Colorstay

Is the Revlon Colorstay foundation a hidden holy grail, lying underneath piles of rubble?

If you know anyone in the beauty blogging world, either on blogs or Youtube, you have probably heard of the drugstore Magna Carta known as Revlon Colorstay. When I first tried it out, I was NOT impressed. Why? It's thick. The color match was horrendous. Every shade suited for NC25 was too pink toned or seemed ashy on my skin, making it look like a horrible and flat mask. 

I picked up the shade Golden Beige in an earlier haul as a last attempt of saving humanity's faith in drugstore foundation, and it seemed to fail me yet again. I had thought this shade would be a great match for my summer tan (around an NC35 to NC40). Wrong!It was much too light. This is when I should've realized that it would be a perfect match to NC30. I didn't. Instead, I shoved it into my "excommunicated and ugly foundation pile", never to be seen again.

Now in the summer heat, my skin is a definite poster child of combination oily. My T-zone, and especially my nose, isn't responding well to liquid foundations that have a satin or dewy finish. Two hours after makeup application, I look like I've been snorkeling in a sea of grease. Gross. Meanwhile, my matte finish powders are too dark. Therein I thought to myself, I should invest in Makeup Forever's Mat Velvet and solve this awful problem!

Then my wallet cried, and I said, "Let me look instead to my pile of cast-off foundations to find something that controls oil."

Oh yeah, I have Revlon Colorstay. Isn't it touted as the HG affordable solution for oily skinned girls?

I gave it a try again, and it matches PERFECTLY with my NC30 skin. As the name suggests, its yellow tone matches to my face and neck with no issues.

Yes, it's thick. I use a very watery Beauty Blender and a very sparing amount of product, taking care not to spill the entire bottle out with each application. The finish in the first hour is definitely flat and doesn't pass for natural at all. By the second hour, however, my natural oil has seeped through enough to make it a beautiful natural finish with zero shine or slick. Wow! I'm guessing this is the goal of any other oil controlling foundation that is on the higher end, but since I am on a budget, this foundation is turning out to be a surprising (or not surprising) favorite of mine at the moment. I'm sure that when my tan comes through again, however, I will have to buy the next color up and risk hating this foundation again.

Verdict?

Pros:
- Oil control is magical. Blows my Studio Fix Fluid AND Powder out of the water. The only place that "glows" on my face right now is where I place my highlighter, not on my forehead or the creases of my nose.
- Cheap. And for the price, I think it probably does the same job as a higher-end product like MUFE Mat Velvet or NARS Sheer Matte.
- Needs very little product for full coverage. Goodbye, obvious zits and concealer!
- Water resistant, may I say waterproof. This baby doesn't budge with sweat and only comes off with some elbow grease and some oil based makeup remover.
- Natural finish with some aid from skin highlighters and natural oil.

Cons:
- Thick. I think it is very easy to go overboard and risk cardboard skin.
- Good God, why can't you include a simple pump? I feel like it's a life or death situation every time I pour some product on the back of my hand.
- Horrible, horrible, horrible color match for light-medium skintones with yellow undertones. I'm talkin' NC23-NC27. I've tried Sand Beige based on online recs and the color was still way too pink and ashy. As for NC30, Golden Beige is deceptively dark in the bottle, and you can't try it on in stores before purchasing. I'm not even sure what the color match for NC35 is, or if it even exists.
- Will this clog my pores? My skin is very resistant to allergic reactions from products, but I can't see this as healthy for every day use. It takes a lot of work to remove this foundation, and I wouldn't recommend to people who even occasionally sleep in makeup after a long night out.

Overall, I'm glad I saved 40 bucks from not buying a new foundation that controls oil. I wouldn't say that this foundation is amazing, but it is very excellent for the price point. My skin wouldn't like it in the winter, but for the humid summers, it stays on very well. This is a good option for those who are active, live in hot climates, and need full coverage (or are just plain lazy like me and hate multiple steps when applying skin correcting goop).

What's your take on drugstore foundation? Do you have a DS foundation that can beat out a high end one? Let me know!