Review| HERA Ultra Moisture Cushion Compact #23

I haven't used a cushion foundation in ages, mostly because it's very rare to find a formula to my liking that's also a color match for anyone who's deeper than an NC15 skintone. Most cushions in the universal #23 shade tend to fall between a neutral NC20 to NC23. 

I decided to wait a few (years?) for cushion foundations to gain traction and expand into deeper shades for a more global customer base. Luckily, I've seen this expansion in U.S. markets, and now (mostly) everyone can enjoy a portable base product. 

I purchased the HERA UV Mist Cushion Ultra Moisture (SPF 34/PA++) (~$45) on Ebay in shade #23 Beige, and it's the very first cushion that is solidly NC30. Amazing! I had some reservations about the formula being too moisturizing for the summer heat, but it's the best one I've tried thus far. 

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| Dior Forever Perfect Makeup SPF 35 (2015 Reformulation)

Dior is trolling me, because I was completely unaware of their newest reformulation of the Forever foundation. This one is named the "Forever Teint Haute Perfection Perfect Makeup Everlasting Wear Pore-Refining Effect with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF35." Succinct. 

It comes in 16 shades and retails for $50 at Sephora and Sephora.com, Macy's, Nordstrom, etc. Make sure that you have the newest iteration with SPF35 and not SPF25. 

The convoluted name tells me that it should hide my pores, last forEVER, and has SPF35. 

Here are the ingredients: 

The frosted glass bottle and heavy cap feels as bougie as ever. 

I picked up 21 Linen. I am currently NC25 tumbling toward NC30-35, and swatches on the back of my hand suggested that it was NC25 and would oxidize to NC27. You've been warned! This foundation does oxidize like that last formula. 

I have to admit that this foundation impresses me more than the formula that I used when living in SoCal (when oil control was a top priority for base products.) 

PROS:

• Extremely kind to skin textures such as fine lines, pores, and acne bumps. 
• Full coverage with a satin finish that gets better as the day goes on. 
• Absolutely no fading or patchiness even after 8+ hours in the heat. 
• Easy to blend with no streakiness. 

CONS:

• You need more than 2 pumps for the entire face. 
• $$$$$$$
• Oxidation. 21 Linen is not the most cool-leaning yellow foundation I've come across and it deepens half a shade once it has set. 

Here are swatches of the foundation with similar brethren. From left to right: Bourjois HM in 52 Vanille, D&G Perfect Reveal Lifting in 110 Caramel, Urban Decay Naked Skin in 4.0, Dior Forever in 21 Linen, Shiseido Synchro Skin in Golden 3. 

Natural indoor lighting:

Flash photo indoors: 

Outdoor under direct sunlight: 

Currently, my skin is as normal as it can get with a t-zone that produces oil. My nose is temperamental and can often seem "flake-y" underneath of a mattifying foundation. However, observe this application with minimal concealer and powder directly under the eyes. The foundation looks to be a perfect match to my current skintone and does indeed *blur* any imperfections without seeming mask-like. 

It covers lighter dark spots and redness easily. 

I applied this over my newly touted Sun Bum Moisturizing Lotion (SPF 70) by itself. The sunscreen itself is very moisturizing (borderline greasy) on my skin and lent itself to the more dewy look of my base. I've tried the Forever on top of regular SPF + primer and the result is equally satisfying. 

Upon very close inspection (perhaps 3 inches away) you can see that it bunches slightly with the dry skin on my nose. However, I still maintain that all skin types can use this foundation with proper skin preparation. In comparison to the previous version, this foundation is much less mattifying/oil controlling but makes up for it with better SPF, its excellent pore blurring performance, and equal longevity. 

After I finished with the rest of my face, the foundation seems to have oxidized. The oxidation is much more obvious on my hand (happens with almost every swatch) and looks to be 1/2 to 1 shade darker than my neck and more golden than my chest. Hm. I'm not a fan of wearing foundation on my neck due to high necklines, but this seems to be a better shade for the months to come. 

Overall, I give high marks for this foundation! I can see it being perfect for work days over events due to the high SPF, but it stays flawless without primer and powder. With primer and powder, you're looking at bulletproof wear until you take off your face for the day. 

xo BE

First Look| Shiseido Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation SPF 20 in Golden 3

Shiseido has just launched 11 new shades of the Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation SPF 20 ($45) which is avaliable at Sephora online. I picked up my bottle at the Shiseido counter in Macy's. I wanted to throw out an honest review of this foundation as many bloggers and YTers have received it as a press sample. 

My shade is Golden 3. I could have pulled off Golden 2 which matches NC20-25, but the sun is ever evolving me to NC40. 

From Sephora.com: 

"An innovative, oil-free, and long-lasting foundation with medium buildable coverage that beautifully enhances your complexion by harmonizing with your skin for a natural-looking finish. 

Flawlessly undetectable like it belongs to your skin, this foundation feels uniquely airy and silky on skin. It helps maintain the skin's clarity and minimize shine, creasing, and fading all day, while Advanced Sensing Technology dynamically synchronizes with your skin's unique condition for a beautiful-looking complexion. It’s formulated with SPF 20 broad spectrum protection to help prevent skin roughness and damage caused by oxidation."

I want to be clear that this foundation checks all of my boxes. Its medium coverage covers up the majority of my pigmentation and redness without looking too excessively heavy or sheer/lacking in coverage. The satin finish means that the product looks like skin, and its lasting power pulls through 9 hours with minimal fading and absolutely no patchiness. 

Another huge plus: the shade range caters to cool, neutral, and warm skin. I do think that they need a wider range of color from porcelain to deep, as this range covers only the majority of light to tan tones. I still think that Golden only increases in orange pigment as it deepens, and Golden 3 seems to be a match for NC25-30. 

Finally, this foundation keeps my t-zone matte but doesn't dry up my cheeks. The "sensing technology" included seems to guess my skin type well and adjust accordingly. 

From left to right: Bourjois HM in Vanille 52, D&G Perfect Reveal Lift in 110 Caramel, UD Naked Skin in 4.0, Dior Forever (2015 formulation) in 21, Shiseido SK in Golden 3. These swatches are in indoor natural lighting. 

These swatches are under direct sunlight. 

These swatches are under flash. It's definitely much more neutral than my olive foundation (UD Naked) or the yellow toned Dior and D&G bases. Still, the foundation looks like a good match to my neck and decollete. It definitely looks like it could flash back in photos due to the SPF.

One pump is the perfect amount of product and it can be applied with a buffing brush or damp sponge with no problems. Here is Synchro Skin on moisturized skin and no primer. Remember to shake well! 

Another view. It does a great job with blurring pores and fine lines and provides just enough coverage to look presentable. 

Here is the product set with my Urban Decay Naked skin loose powder for a little more coverage and pore blurring. 

In more direct lighting, you can see that the textural issues (whiteheads? clogged pores?) on my forehead is covered but not exactly diminished. My skin is not flaking at the moment, but this foundation does not cake up or bunch on my dry nose. It does look a little dry under the eyes so moisturize well if you don't want creasing. 

 Shiseido foundations tend to be too drying on my skin, but this release has highly impressed me. I think that this foundation is best for those who want to put on their base product and not have to worry about touch ups throughout the day as its longevity knocks a lot of my other foundations out of the park. Again, I don't think very dry or oily types will get along with this one. It's best for normal to combination skin. 

xo Be

Review| Smashbox BB Water in Light

The Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water SPF 30 ($42) is a supposed dupe for MAC Waterweight foundation, which was released concurrently and speculated to be dupes. I picked up the shade Light out of 8 shades as my MAC Waterweight is in NC30 and I needed a lightweight version before my summer tan set in. 

It's sad to say, however, that this foundation is not quite the same as my beloved Waterweight even if Light has less ochre tones than a MAC NC25. The consistency is a tad thinner with slightly less coverage and much less lasting power. Boo!

While I don't mind using this for days when I'm running errands, it will not pull me through an entire workday of 9+ hours.  I would put wear time at a solid 5-6 hours with fading after that mark. The foundation fades evenly, but it fade nonetheless, especially on my combination t-zone. The BB Water will cover redness but not dark spots, and I always set it down with a powder as it remains tacky on the skin. Remember to shake well!

The formula is oil and alcohol-free and is meant to be an "all in one slap and go etc etc" dealio for lazy girls who want their SPF 30, moisturizer, and base in one. I don't think it's moisturizing enough by itself, so dry skin types will still need to prep. I also don't think it has enough lasting power for oily skin types. 

I've included swatches with some golden and olive tones. From left to right: Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation in Light, Smashbox BB Water in Light, BareMinerals Complexion Rescue in Buttercream, and Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation 4.0. 

Indoor lighting:

Overcast, outdoor lighting: 

  

Indoor with flash:

Here's a side by side comparison of both the BB Water and Waterweight. While the ingredients are supposed to be identical, I still feel like the Waterweight provides light-medium coverage while the BB Water can only be built up to light coverage. 

You can also see that the BB Water has less coverage for the same amount of product. 

This is the product on bare skin with no primer or moisturizer. My medium sized pores on the sides of my nose are not blurred or exaggerated. 

Here is the base product set with powder on the t-zone. The coverage does not hide hyper-pigmentation on my forehead or cheek. 

Another view. 

The BB Water appears to smooth out my skin texture and tone from human viewing distance. I have to warn you that there appears to be a lot of physical SS in the product as it gives a white cast when first applied. 

I don't think this is worth the full price tag. You can honestly find a comparable tinted moisturizer at the drugstore for much less. I picked mine up at the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty event for $25, so perhaps, if you're looking for an easy base product, you can pick it up at the next sale. 

xo Be 

Review| Dolce and Gabbana Perfect Reveal Lifting Foundation

I really wanted to take my time with this foundation review. As I age and become more and more jaded to new beauty products, base products really need several months of trial and error before they can be discussed at length. 

Especially if the foundation in question is the Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Reveal Lift Foundation which will empty $73 whole quids out of ya hard earned monies. At this price point, I really expected miracles and perfect skin and devout male worshipers throwing themselves at my feet.  

It's a hefty and luxurious bottle complete with a pump. I purchased shade #110 Caramel because the few swatches online suggested that it was the most olive of the bunch. Now that I'm looking through the Sephora shade guides, #120 Natural Beige may have been a better match (possibly more olive at the same depth). With that fault aside, it's still a good match for me at NC23-25 and doesn't look too peachy. Also, what was I doing, expecting an olive color from Caramel? D'oh!

Here are swatches in different sources of lighting: Hourglass Illusion Skin Tint, Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation in Light-Medium Sand, BareMinerals Gel Rescue Cream in Buttercream, D&G Lift Foundation in Caramel, IT Cosmetics CC Cream in Light. 

All ranting aside, this is a good foundation for the VERY dry skinned who want coverage and lasting power on top of moisturizing properties. It feels luxurious on the skin: a thick, creamy serum of medium coverage and intense hydration. I definitely cannot use a moisturizing sunscreen underneath (it comes with SPF 25) and apply this on clean or thinly primed skin. I've found that the best method of application is with your fingers or a buffing brush to really push the product into your skin. 

Let me repeat myself: this is for the very dry skinned and mature folks. I consider my skin to be on the drier side of normal for most foundations, but this foundation will look dewy upon application and GREASY by mid-day. Blot. Powder. Do whatever's in your power to delay the process. The foundation WILL slip on the skin as it wears, but won't transfer off and the coverage lasts throughout the day. 

Another thing I want to mention is how it can lift up peach fuzz if you're not careful. I think it's nice to drier skin patches and flaking skin, but it can still look like makeup if you use too much. You really need to blend this one in. For example, I prefer my Hourglass Illusion Skin Tint as it boasts the same ethereal skin/glowing light bulb effect but melds better with my skin. 

I can't say it's life changing for me due to the fact that my skin is much more normalized. However, I do think that there are very few foundations on the market for very dry skin that offers medium to full coverage and a solid 10 hours of lasting power. I think you'll want a sample first to see how this one compares to other base products. 

xo Be