Foundation Search

 As I mentioned in my earlier post on my foundations, I had gone to Sephora and picked up three samples of foundations that I wanted to try.  I got samples of NARS Sheer Glow, Make Up Forever HD and YSL Teint Resist. Here are my thoughts after trying all three…..

Out of all three foundations I tried, I would say my favorite is the YSL Teint Resist ($55).  The color I was matched to was #4 Sand which is for light to medium neutral beige complexions.  This is an oil-free foundation with a spf 10 that claims to smooth out your complexion and absorb excess oil.  First, I noticed that this foundation has a nice clean smell. Some foundations I can’t use because they smell awful.  Teint Resist applies nicely with a foundation brush and provides a light coverage although it can be layered to create heavier coverage if needed.  It found that this foundation wears very well and doesn’t feel tight on my skin like some oil-free foundations can.   I didn’t need to touch up with Blot powder hardly at all through out the day, which is always nice because I can get pretty oily.  All in all, I am pretty impressed with this foundation and might possibly be purchasing a bottle in the near future.

Next, I tried the Make Up Forever HD Invisible Cover Foundation ($45) in the color #120 which is a soft sand color for medium light complexions with yellow undertones.  I have read so many reviews were people have raved about this foundation so I finally gave it a go.   This is also an oil-free foundation that offers medium to full coverage and give you a flawless finish.  Swatches of all the shades available can be found on KarlaSugar’s blog here.

The last foundation that I tried was NARS Sheer Glow ($42) in Fiji (light#5).  Once again, I had read and seen amazing reviews about this foundation.  I was a little hesitant because it was not oil-free, which is not always good for my skin.  This foundation offers a satin finish that gives you lightweight coverage and glowing skin.  When I first applied this foundation it seemed light and non-greasy. It gave a nice coverage and did give my skin a subtle glow.  After time though, my skin became greasy looking and felt greasy, which led to endless blotting sessions.  I really do wish I could use this foundation because I like the coverage I get with it but my skin will not deal with it not being oil-free.  If you have normal to dry skin, you should definitely give NARS Sheer Glow a try. Swatches by KarlaSugar here.

Favorites: Cream Blushes

I have always been a powder blush kinda girl. Having combo/oily skin, I never really had an interest in trying cream blushes because I thought they would be greasy on me. That all changed when my local MAC artist used one of their cream blushes on me during a run through for my wedding. I never realized how long lasting and dewy looking cream blushes could be and from then on I was hooked. Since then, I have accumulated a few cream blushes that I really love and use all the time. Here are my favorites….

NARS Penny Lane, MAC Ladyblush, Jouer Petal, MUFE HD Quickie

MAC Ladyblush blushcreme ($18.50) was the first cream blush that I ever purchased and I love it. MAC blushcreme’s are very pigmented, so a little goes a long way. Ladyblush is a beautiful cool pink with a cream finish, no shimmer here. It leaves a rosy, healthy glow when applied on the apples of the cheek. I either use my fingers or my handy MAC 109 brush to apply.

 

 

MAC Ladyblush

 

Jouer cosmetics is a brand that I first read about in various fashion & beauty magazines. I purchased a few of their products a couple years back and have loved mostly everything I have gotten. One of the standout products for me is Jouer’s Cheek & Lip Tint ($20) in the color Petal. Petal is a soft rose pink with a soft shimmer finish. It’s almost not even a shimmer but a sheen. The formula isn’t super pigmented so you don’t need to worry about using too much and it’s very blendable. I keep this in my handbag for on the go cheek/lip touch ups! If you have a chance you should check out Jouer’s website for all their great products. (www.jouercosmetics.com)

Jouer Petal Tint

I received a deluxe sample at Sephora of Makeup Forever HD Microfinish blush in #6 Quickie. MUFE released this new blush formula. This is a cream formula that comes in a pump form. Quickie is a salmon coraly pink that is super pigmented with a cream finish. One thing about this packaging is that you need to be careful and not pump out too much product. Since it is so pigmented you only need half of a pump. I have swatched it unblended and blended. This color is a little bright, but once it is blended, you get a nice peachy pink flush that lasts and lasts.

 

 

MUFE HD Blush in Quickie - Left swatch Blended out

 

The last of my favorite cream blushes is from NARS in the color Penny Lane ($26). This is a cream to powder blush with a sheer cream finish. Penny Lane is a soft nude pink color that is perfect for my NC25 skin. I love using this color when I do a strong smokey eye because it gives the perfect pinky nude color to the cheeks that doesn’t compete with your eyes. The cream to powder finish is nice because it doesn’t feel sticky at all. It almost has a silky feel when you blend it in.

NARS Penny Lane

As you can see Penny Lane is very light nude and is the lightest of my cream blushes. I hope you enjoyed hearing about my favorite cream blushes and if you have any suggestions on one's I should try, let me know! Talk to you soon!