YSL Touche Eclat Foundation

I mentioned the YSL Touche Eclat foundation in my most recent favourites post but I wanted to write a separate review about my new base of choice. I resisted picking this up for a long time because a lot of the reviews I had read said that the coverage was incredibly sheer. Whilst I do tend to prefer a light coverage foundation I got the impression that YSL's offering would be more like a tinted moisturiser. I'm pleased to say that after trying a sample my preconceptions were dismissed and once I ran out of my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua I finally purchased the YSL Touch Eclat foundation.

The packaging is nice; it feels heavy and whilst the glass bottle isn't especially travel friendly I do like being able to see how much product I've used. It also comes with a pump which dispenses just the right amount of product for one layer of foundation. I felt quite guilty for parting with £31 for the little plastic bottle of Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua but the £28 price tag for the Touche Eclat foundation was a little easier to swallow, in part due to the packaging. 

We all know that it's what's on the inside that counts, right? In that respect this product doesn't disappoint either. It is a light coverage foundation but it offers slightly more than I expected. It's also very buildable; I like to add a second layer to the areas of my face which I feel need a little more coverage. I should point out that this foundation is definitely not for anyone who swears by Estee Lauder Double Wear or something similar. If you have a lot of blemishes, scarring or redness to cover you're probably not going to like this but if you just have a slightly uneven skintone and only get blemishes occasionally I'd definitely recommend giving this a try. The finish is less dewy than I expected and that's a positive for me as I do get a little oily in my t-zone. It's definitely not a matte finish either, though. If you have very oily skin and love a matte finish, I'd steer clear.

I've tried applying this with my fingers and that works nicely but I prefer to use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush as I find I get a bit more coverage that way. The product melts into the skin quickly so application is a breeze. I get a decent amount of wear from this foundation; around 6-8 hours. I usually powder through my t-zone but find that if I want to add another layer of foundation later in the day I can easily do that without making my skin look caked in foundation. 

The YSL Touche Eclat foundation is available in twenty two shades across a spectrum of undertones. I have B50 which is from the neutral range. I believe there should be a shade to suit almost everyone. 

Have  you tried YSL's latest foundation? 

Stace xx

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup

I'd been keen to try the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup since it launched. Estee Lauder claim that this foundation is 'Fresh, flawless, radiant. Ultra light, ultra breathable, oil-free' and it sounded like my perfect foundation. A lot of bloggers and YouTubers have compared this with Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua which is my current foundation of choice so I was expecting great things. 

I was matched to the shade 3WN1 and given a substantial sample to try out. On the subject of shades, this foundation comes in 16 shades as opposed to the five shades Chanel offer with the Vita Lumiere Aqua. They cater for warm, cool and neutral undertones. I'd say 3WN1 is just a hint too dark for me right now and in MAC terms it's around an NC35.

I've tried applying the Invisible Fluid with my fingers and found I needed a lot of product so I prefer using it with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I like to use the Vita Lumiere Aqua in a similar way. 

In the photos of my face I've used a little MUA primer and Bobbi Brown Corrector under my eyes but no concealer or powder. 

The coverage is definitely on the sheer side. I have a few healing spots on my chin and as you can see, it's not really done anything to hide those. I also have some redness in my cheeks that it doesn't cover sufficiently for my liking. It's sheerer than Vita Lumiere Aqua. I like sheer/light coverage foundations but the fact that the Invisible fluid didn't even out the redness in my cheeks means it's probably too sheer for me. I'm happy to use concealer on blemishes and dark spots but not over half of my face. 

When I initially apply the Invisible Fluid, the finish isn't particularly dewy. It reminds me a bit of the Bourjous Healthy Mix Serum finish-wise. It looks nice for a couple of hours on me and then it all starts to fall apart; or melt away. I don't have very oily skin but this product makes me look like an oil slick if I don't use powder. I don't mind having to use a powder but the fact the foundation looks quite matte/satin when first applied meant that I didn't think I needed to powder, especially given that this is an oil free product. 

If you have pretty clear skin that only needs a little evening out, this could be a great foundation for you, especially if you wanted to try Vita Lumiere Aqua but couldn't find a good shade match. I really wanted to like this foundation but unfortunately it's fallen short for me. It is priced at £27 for 30ml and can be purchased from Estee Lauder stockists.

Have you tried it? What did you think?

Stace xx

How to Choose a High End Foundation

When I posted my foundation collection recently, I had someone on Twitter ask me for a post on how to choose a high end foundation. I find it quite difficult to recommend foundations a lot of the time because not everyone will like the same ones I do, even if we have the same skin type. 

As I mentioned, I struggle to find a drugstore foundation that works for me. I really enjoyed the Bourjois Healthy Mix and Healthy Mix Serum but both of those broke me out. So, this post is going to focus on choosing a high end foundation. I normally expect to pay between £20 and £30 for a foundation which seems excessive considering I could pick one up in Boots for around a tenner but for me, it's worth it.

If you've already got a collection of higher end foundations then you probably don't need to read this post as I'm writing this specifically for anyone who has been worried about spending lots of money on a foundation to find that it doesn't work for them. I apologise if it comes across as a little patronizing but I hope it helps someone! 

What's your skin type?

This is the first thing you should try to figure out as it determines what sort of foundation you'll need. If you have oily skin, I'd stick to oil free formulations whereas you might prefer a more hydrating formula if your skin is dry. If your skin is sensitive, be wary of foundations which are heavily fragranced. You can ask counter assistants to help determine your skin type if you're not sure but I've found that they often try to promote their newest foundations rather than what's best for your particular skin type so be aware of that.

What do you want your foundation to cover?

To me the point of foundation is to even out my skin tone and cover any minor imperfections whether it's a powder, a liquid or a cream. I'd say that unless you have a lot of acne scarring or other pigmentation to cover, you won't need a heavy coverage foundation. If your skin is already quite even and you're not prone to break outs, consider a tinted moisturiser or light coverage foundation. I like foundations with medium coverage myself because I can sheer it out by mixing it with moisturiser or I can add an extra layer on problem areas if I'm having a bad skin day. 

How do you want it to look/wear?
You have to consider is the finish you want and how long you'll need it to last. The finish of a foundation will vary somewhat depending on your skin type so be aware of that and if you have very oily skin, it's probably best to avoid anything which offers a very dewy finish and likewise someone with dry skin will probably struggle with very matte formulas. In terms of wear, I think you should expect to be able to get around eight hours of wear from any foundation for it to be worthwhile. I've tried a few that have disappeared in a couple of hours which is so disappointing! You can always aid the staying power of a foundation with a setting spray, primer or powder though.
 
 How're you going to apply it?
Think about the tools you may need to apply the foundation you end up with too. I like applying mine with a buffing style brush but some foundations work better with fingers (thankfully those are free!), sponges, stippling brushes or traditional foundation brushes. I don't think this is a huge consideration but it it worth thinking about since you don't want to end up with a foundation that looks lovely and wears well but only applies nicely with a £30 brush that you don't own.

Read Reviews

You can find foundation reviews in a variety of different ways. You can google the name of the foundation you're interested in and find some blog post reviews or you can check Makeupalley or YouTube. Ask friends what they use and recommend, especially if they have a similar skin type or tone to you and if you normally like their make up. The thing to bear in mind when reading reviews is that foundation is one of those products that really divides opinion so just because one is rated 3/5 doesn't mean it won't be the best one you'll try so take the scores with a pinch of salt and look out for reviewers who were looking for the same sort of foundation as you are.

Try a Sample 
(if you can!)

Once you have a little list of foundations you might like to try pop to your nearest department store and have a look at them. You can have a feel of the texture by swatching them and you can see what the finish is like by having it applied at the counter but don't buy anything until you've at least seen the colour and finish in natural light. I personally think it's a little bit tacky to go up to a counter and brazenly ask for a sample but if you can show that you've done a little bit of research on the particular foundation most counter staff will happily give you a sample to try. Chanel and Estee Lauder are, in my experience, the best for giving out decent sized samples which allow you to try the product at least four times. Obviously try to make sure the sample is the shade that you think will be the best for you; if you already think you know which shade you'll be, don't be forced into trying one you think will be too dark or too light. If you're not sure, just go with what the assistant gives you. Another tip I should include is that if you get the foundation sample in little sachets, grab a little empty pot and transfer the contents of the sachets into it, you'll get so many more uses out of it!


If you try a sample and don't like it, there's no harm done. If you like the product but think it's the wrong shade, try a different shade if that's possible. If you try it, love it and think it's the correct shade, go buy it!


Phew. If you've made it this far, congratulations! I hope this post was helpful and if you have any tips when it comes to high end foundation shopping, mention them in the comments.


Stace xx

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Compact Foundation

When I was at a Chanel counter a couple of weeks ago, the assistant gave me two samples of their new foundation, the Vitalumiere Aqua Compact. I have the shades B30 and B40. I chose to use B30 because I have Vitalumiere Aqua in B40 and it's my summer shade so I expected B30 to be a better shade match for me right now. The samples are the classiest foundation samples I've seen in a while. I've used the one pictured three times and I expect I'd get just one more use out of it.

I tried applying this a few different ways and found the best way to be with my Real Techniques Buffing brush. I expected the Stippling brush to work better with it because I often prefer to use it with my thicker liquid foundations but hey ho! I wouldn't recommend using the sponge provided as it resulted in a rather streaky finish. It's quite easy to apply with either of the brushes I mentioned but I wasn't a fan of having to dip the brush back into the foundation to apply more. I guess I could have scooped some out onto the back of my hand first but the downside to that is that it could result in a lot of wasted product. I tried just applying dots of it on my face and then blending it out with the brush but I felt that it just disappeared into my skin without providing any coverage.

If I'm totally honest I don't know how I feel about this product. I found that I needed a lot more of the foundation than I was expecting to achieve medium coverage and thus it felt quite heavy on my skin. Not only did it feel heavy, it also looked quite heavy and greasy. Setting it with a powder either did nothing (when I used too little) or looked even more cakey (when I used too much). I decided to try setting it with some MAC Fix+ and that worked a bit better as it got rid of the cakey-ness and most of the oil.

The wear you can get from this foundation is also problematic. One of the times I wore it I checked my face about four hours in and thought my skin looked pretty nice but when I went to take my make up off a few hours later there was hardly anything there! I obviously like my own skin more than I think. This product transfers terribly on anything and everything; it ended up all over my phone and my top.

All in all, I can't recommend this foundation for anyone with skin that is in any way oily because it just never seems to set. Even though it offers pretty decent coverage I felt that I had to use too much product to achieve that. I think it might work for you if your skin is dry and not needing a great deal of coverage; that way you would require less product and benefit from the extra hydration on offer. FleurdeForce recently reviewed this foundation and said she liked it on her normal/dry skin but that she preferred to use it for touch ups during the day. I think if you want to try one of the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundations, go for the liquid as it's so much easier to use and works on a range of skin types. It's also £8 cheaper.

The Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Compact foundation retails for £39 online (link) or from Chanel counters.

Stace xx

My Foundation Collection

Foundation is a key product in my make up routine and one I'm quite fussy about. I've tried countless foundations (I'm still working on the Foundation 101 tab for this blog) and it's been difficult to find formulations I like in a shade that matches me. These are the six foundations I currently own so I thought I'd run through them and tell you what I think. 

 I have a slight yellow undertone to my skin and it tends to darken very easily in the summer months. My skin is usually combination; I get quite oily in my T-zone and normal/dry elsewhere so I prefer a foundation with a satin or slightly dewy finish. I get the odd blemish on my chin and quite dark under eye circles but I prefer to conceal those with a separate concealer so I like foundations which offer light to medium coverage.

First up is the most expensive foundation in my collection. I purchased Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B40 last summer and wore it almost exclusively during August and September until it became too dark for me. It has a light texture which can be built up in layers depending on how much coverage I need. I like using my fingers to apply this one but I'll be trying out with my Real Techniques Buffing brush once my skin is dark enough to wear this shade again! The finish of this one is on the dewy side but I find I can easily combat an oily T-zone with a little powder. I had been contemplating picking this up in B30 but as you see, I already have some other great foundations which match me when my skin is lighter. I have really missed using this, though!

Next up is the newest addition to my foundation family and also a shade which will suit me best during the summer months. Illamasqua Skin Base in Shade 11 is a teeny bit pinker than my Vitalumiere Aqua in B40 but I don't find that it looks overly pink on my skin. This foundation has a much thicker texture and is more of a medium coverage foundation. I've only used this one two or three times so far as my skin isn't quite dark enough to wear it yet but when I did apply it I used my Illamasqua Highlighter brush. I think I will also enjoy using this with my fingers when I want less coverage. The finish of Skin Base is less dewy than Vitalumiere Aqua but not at all cakey or heavy looking if applied correctly. 

I wasn't sure whether or not I should include my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus in this post because I tend to use this more as a setting powder than a foundation. However, I have used this as a foundation over a bit of Origins Vita Zing moisturiser in the past. The coverage is surprisingly good when I apply it with my E.L.F. Powder brush but I have two issues with this product. First is the powdery finish I sometimes get when using it but I find that a spritz of Fix+ helps eradicate that. Secondly I find that I this powder doesn't control the oil in my T-zone particularly well so I have to be careful which moisturiser I use underneath it.

I bought this tube of MAC Studio Moisture Tint in Medium Dark at Christmas time because Medium Plus was much too pink for me (unlike the MSF Natural which is about right when I'm paler). It smells like paint or something but other than that, it's a really nice tinted moisturiser. It's much less dewy than any other tinted moisturisers I've tried (perhaps aside from the NARS offering) which I really appreciate. The coverage is decent for this sort of product and the staying power on my skin is great. I wouldn't say this product is particularly moisturising so it's not for anyone with very dry skin. I've been reaching for this quite a bit recently but it is still a touch too dark for me. I apply it either with my fingers or the Real Techniques Buffing brush. 

I started using this foundation when my Vitalumiere Aqua became too dark for me and now I've only got a little left but I'm so scared to use it all up! This is the Make Up For Ever HD foundation in the shade #125 and it's my go to foundation for a night out. I like it because it doesn't feel or look cakey yet the coverage is pretty decent and it wears well on my skin. I usually apply two thin layers with my Real Techniques Stippling or Buffing brush. I just wish Make Up For Ever was more easily accessible in the UK.

The final member of my little foundation family is NARS Sheer Glow in Santa Fe. This is the lightest shade I own and the one I've been using most recently. I have about a third of the bottle left but this is just a smidge too pale for me now so I'm going to mix it with my MAC Studio Moisture Tint, I think. This is one of those foundations that is just so reliable for me. I remember when I was testing out the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation a month ago and when it broke me out I went back to using this and it made putting on foundation a joy once again! The texture of this is a little thicker than some of the others in my collection but as a result I use a lot less of it each time. I can apply this with almost any foundation brush I have and sometimes I even use my fingers; it's just so easy to work with. The finish isn't as glowy as you'd expect but I do need to powder my T-zone if I want it to last all day.

L - R:  Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B40, Illamasqua Skin Base in Shade 11, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus, MAC Studio Moisture Tint in Medium Dark, Make Up For Ever HD in #125, NARS Sheer Glow in Santa Fe

Apologies for the messy swatches - blame the MAC products. I should probably point out that the inside of my arm is much, much paler than the skin on the rest of my body/face,  just in case you all thought that I've been walking around with an orange face!

You may have noticed that I don't have any high street or drugstore foundations in this post and that's because there's only been one drugstore foundation I've tried and liked that doesn't break me out. Unfortunately for me that foundation was Neutrogena's Healthy Skin which isn't even available in this country.

 Anyway, I hope that was useful to some of you and please let me know which foundations you like in the comments!

Stace xx

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

I've been using this foundation for the last week or so. I know there have been a million and one reviews on it already but here's my two cents!

I purchased this from Boots for £8.99 (link) in the shade Soft Beige. The shade is okay for me right now - I'm somewhere between an NC25 and NC30 in MAC right now. There are six shades in the range which cater reasonably well for light to medium skin tones but if you're any darker than an NC40, you might struggle to find a decent match, unfortunately. 

I think the packaging is a bit gaudy but I do love the fact it comes with a pump. The bottle is glass which makes it feel a bit more expensive but also makes it less travel-friendly. 

The texture reminds me a lot of the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation as it feels lighter than a typical liquid foundation. I find I need to use quite a bit of this product to cover my whole face. The photos above and below are of one pump of the foundation and I often find this isn't enough. If I was to use this all the time, I can see myself getting through the bottle quite quickly.

I tried applying this foundation with my fingers and it just disappeared when I did that so I've been using my Real Techniques Buffing brush instead.

Please excuse the scary photos of my face and apologies for having wet hair - if you read my recent hair care routine you'll know that I don't like having to use heat on it!

Anyway, the coverage of the foundation is light to medium. I'd say it is buildable to a point. It doesn't look cakey when I apply a couple of layers but I do find that the wear time decreases as a result. The finish is more on the dewy side on my combination skin.

This foundation looks pretty nice when I first apply it and I instantly though I'd found a new favourite foundation but there are four things about this product which have let it down for me. 

Firstly, I have to use so much product to get any sort of coverage beyond that of a heavier tinted moisturiser. Secondly, it  doesn't last very well on my skin. Despite looking great upon application, two hours in and this foundation was slipping and sliding all over the place. It's not attractive. Thirdly, the glitter! I used to use Revlon PhotoReady and I never had an issue with the shimmer in that, in fact, I could barely detect it. I took some photos with this on and there are really obvious chunks of glitter all over my face. I also checked it in a mirror outside on a sunny day and again, I was pretty sparkly. 

And finally, the real problem with it: it breaks me out pretty horribly.

So unfortunately, this foundation isn't for me. Would I recommend it to anyone? I'd say if you were looking for something cheap and easily accessible, it'd be an option as long as it doesn't break you out. If you're looking for something that offers light coverage and your skin is on the dryer side, it'll probably work much better for you than it did for me.

Have you tried Rimmel's Wake Me Up foundation? What did you think of it?

Stace xx

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation

I've had this foundation for a year or so and it's on its last legs right now so I thought it was about time I  reviewed it. I have a love-hate relationship with this product. I bought it after trying a sample (which I loved.) I'm in the shade Warm Beige which is my winter shade. It's somewhere between an NC25 and NC30 in MAC terms, I think. 

Bobbi Brown says:

"A truly modern foundation that offers invisible, weightless coverage that looks like skin, not makeup. This long-wearing formula evens tone, minimises the appearance of pores, conceals imperfections, and offers broad spectrum UV protection. Its hydrating technology leaves skin feeling cushioned, comfortable, and clean. Ideal for combination, normal and normal to dry skins."

This is quite a watery foundation. It's not quite as watery as something like MAC Face & Body, though. I apply mine either with my fingers or with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I do need to use a couple of layers because the finish of this foundation is quite sheer. I do feel that I use a lot more product compared with other foundations I use. 

This feels very light on the skin, which I like. I can't stand foundations which look and feel like I'm wearing a mask. The finish is dewy, which normally isn't a problem for me as I often favour a dewier finish but...just look at the picture below! (Check out the disgusted facial expression!)

This is me wearing the foundation with nothing on top. As you can see, the coverage is light and the finish is very dewy. I've been using this foundation constantly for about a month now because I'm trying to use it up and I think it's made my skin more oily, which is annoying. My skin is usually normal/combination but it's never truly oily.

This combination of oilier skin and the dewy foundation is where my feelings of hatred towards this product come in! It just slides off my skin and gathers around my nose/mouth...it looks horrible. I've been setting it with my MAC MSF Natural because I like how that powder looks on my skin but it doesn't control the horrendous amount of oil. 

So, to clarify! I like this foundation; it's easy to apply, nice if you want something sheer but buildable and it doesn't look cakey. However, this is definitely not for someone with oily skin or an oily T-zone as it seems to exacerbate the problem. I don't find this product to be long wearing or that it improves the look of my pores, as the description suggests. I won't be buying this again as I have other foundations which work a lot better for my skin right now. 

Stace xx