Revlon - PhotoReady liquid foundation

As I mentioned in my previous foundation post (click!), I was planning to try out some other foundations available here. And just few days after I posted that review, Revlon's PhotoReady foundation arrived to me! I've been using it everyday for over a month now and to be honest I'm still not exactly sure whether I like it or not. But before I jump to conclusions, let's focus on the details.

According to the producent, the Revlon PhotoReady should help achieve poreless, airbrushed skin in any light. This effect is possible thanks to photochromatic pigments that bend and reflect light to erase every flaw. Revlon also promises that this foundation will give complete, yet undetectable coverage and a soft, luminous finish. It is also oil and fragrance free and has SPF 20 (which adds to the luminosity). Sounds promising, right? PhotoReady is packed in a nice bottle that contains 30ml of product and has a precise pump that will give you the exact amount of foundation you need for your face.

Unfortunately for me, I wasn't able to choose the right colour for me. Revlon hasn't released all the available shades (there are 12 in total) in my country and the lightest one out here is 003 Shell, which seems to be a little bit too dark for me right now. To make it worse, I noticed it sometimes tends to darken on my skin (blaming my current face powder for that) so I need to be really careful with it. At the beginning I was using my fingers to apply it but I find a flat top brush better to blend the foundation well. Once again a good moisturizer is a must before application, since PhotoReady is ruthless for every little bit of flacky skin you may have on your face! So sometimes instead of erasing your flaws it exaggerates them. Not nice of you PhotoReady, not nice! ;) The foundation gives light to medium coverage but you can build it up, since it does not look like you're wearing a mask. It applies quite well and leaves no streaks if blended well. PhotoReady, as promised, photographs really well despite having such a high SPF! I think it looks well in both natural and artificial light and that's why I can forgive some imperfections this foundation has.

Natural light on the left, flash on the right. Noticing the shimmer? :)

Apart from the shade, I think my biggest issue with PhotoReady are the photochromatic pigments, which are nothing else than.. glitter! I really don't mind a little glow (after all this is an illuminating foundation, I knew what I was getting myself into) and when you shake the bottle before application or mix it with a different foundation, you won't look like a disco ball. However, after few days of using PhotoReady I've noticed shimmer on my coat, my collars, on everything that I wore! It also rubs away even though I use setting powder. Because of those infamous photochromatic pigments this foundation is not really suitable for people with combination to oily skin, since your face will look really shiny after all. Even though I'm dry at the moment I get a little bit too shiny and need a fix after 3 - 4 hours. However, if I blot my skin after moisturizer and before applying foundation, PhotoReady sits longer on my face. So if you have a similar problem like me, you should definitely try this trick!

Revlon PhotoReady foundation, which is said to be a dupe for MUFE HD foundation, has it's ups and downs. If you have dry or normal skin with no flaws, this will definitely lighten up your appearance, but if you have combination or oily skin and hate shine on your face with passion, you should look for something else. I was really excited to try this one out after reading so many positive reviews and I'm not gonna lie, I am a bit disappointed. But if mixed with other foundations it gives a really nice glow on my skin and lasts longer so I will definitely use this one up!

What are your opinions on Revlon's PhotoReady foundation? Are other products from this line worth a try? Waiting for your opinions!

A.

A/W Beauty Essentials: Bronzer

The lack of sun and sleep made me look extremely pale and tired lately. I'm not a big fan of foundations or tinted moisturizers (just some concealer if needed) so I have to look for other options to make my skin look more glowy and healthy. One of my favourite tricks to bring my face back to life is bronzer. The one I use is a gel, because I have yet to find a powder or cream formulation that looks natural on my skin.

Easy application in three steps. Hope you can see the subtle 'tan' on my hand.
Haven't blended it in all the way so you'll be able to see the difference a bit better.

The product I'm talking about is the Clinique Non-Streak Bronzer. It's a very dark and concentrated gel and comes in a big tube. Since you don't need a lot at all it'll last you for absolutely ages! My favourite way to use it, is by mixing a bit of my moisturizer/SPF and this gel with a cotton bud and just simply applying it all over my face for an even bronzed look. It doesn't give any coverage at all but makes you look as if you've spent the last few days outside in the sun. It's completely unnoticeable (if blended well) and looks just like tanned skin. The colour is very natural (no orange face!) and you choose how tanned you want to look by adding more or less of the gel. You can also add a bit more on your temples or under your cheekbones if you fancy a sculpted look.

As with all make up products, it tends to fade away after a whole day. However, you'll still be able to see you're not as pale as before using the bronzer. Also, it fades away very evenly so you won't be left with darker and lighter spots or bronzer in creases/wrinkles. It's completely safe to use when it's raining outside or when you're sweating: once it's applied it doesn't move until you wash it off with a cleanser. Make sure to massage your face a bit longer than usually so there won't be any product left on your skin!

The only downside is that you can't really use it without mixing it in with a moisturizer. It's hard to blend the gel well on its own and it won't look as natural. So if you find yourself in the middle of the day in need of some bronzer, maybe try mixing it with a moisturizing serum or a very light cream instead of trying to make the gel work on its own. I know, I'm not a fan of putting moisturizer (or any other product) on 'dirty' skin either, but I haven't had any problems this far.

So, what are your tricks to make yourself look as if you've slept more than you actually have? Or can you maybe recommend me a good powder/cream bronzer for touching up throughout the day? -L.

A/W Beauty Essentials: Foot Creams

It's autumn again and for many of us it means that our feet will be stuck in boots again for the next few months. That's why I wanted to share a few products with you that will help to keep your feet soft when it's cold outside.

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of foot creams. Whenever I rub some on my feet, I immediately remember about a thousand things I need to do that involve walking. Many foot creams are thick and take very long to sink in so it's best you use them before bed when you're absolutely sure you don't have to get up again in a few minutes. For that I use two foot creams, both by the Body Shop: the Peppermint Cooling Foot Rescue Treatment (which gives a 'cooling' sensation) and the Hemp Foot Protector. They are very heavy and to me very similar in terms of hydration. You'll wake up with way better looking feet that feel a lot softer too!

However, if you don't like the feeling of heavy foot creams (like me) but you still want something that does a great job at moisturizing, I have something for you too: the Shea Butter Foot Cream by l'Occitane. I have used this one before but kind of forgot about it once I ran out. Recently I received a pretty big sample of it and fell in love again. It's a thick cream, but a lot less heavy than the Body shop ones. It's made with 15% shea butter which is known for it's great moisturizing properties and it smells like lavender (like!). It only takes a few minutes to sink into the skin and leaves your feet really soft and hydrated. You can use it at night but it would be good for during the day too, as it won't leave your feet feeling greasy for hours. Definitely going to repurchase the big size once I run out of my sample!

Last, but not least: don't forget to exfoliate your feet regularly. You can use foot files or regular exfoliating gloves, but always be gentle! If your heels are really dry then try to exfoliate them a bit more often, but don't use harsh tools. Also, soaking them before exfoliation will help too! You can add dead sea salt and/or bath oils to make the experience a bit more fun and luxurious.

I'd love to know how you keep your feet looking their best during the colder months! Feel free to let me know in the comments! -L.

Apivita - Revitalizing and radiance mask with pomegranate.

I have been really into Apivita products lately and today I'll review the first face mask I've used from that brand. Most of their face masks come in sachets containing 8ml of product which will be more than enough to cover your whole face, neck and chest! The best part: you get two sachets (16ml) for as little as 3.50 Eur. If you use them on your face only, you'll have enough for four facials! As with almost everything, I thought that low price would mean sh... bad quality. But I wanted to give it a try anyway and I'm so glad I did!

The first mask I used was the one with pomegranate. It's supposed to really moisturize your face and make it more radiant. Also, pomegranate is a great antioxidant! I decided to use the mask on my face only, so I split the sachet and put half of it in a little jar (meant for traveling) and saved it for later. I applied the face mask on clean skin and let it sit for about 20 - 30 minutes, even though it says on the back to rinse it off after 10.

After rinsing it off, I was disappointed. My skin was a bit more hydrated but there was no big difference and not much glow. BUT! When I woke up the next day, I was really surprised! My usual dehydration lines were almost invisible and my skin was really radiant and looked so healthy! Since this mask was the only addition to my normal evening routine, nothing else could have made the difference. I was even more impressed to see that the great results lasted for at least 3(!) days. When I used the mask for the second time, I got immediate results and the glow lasted for a few days again. I guess the ingredients just needed some time to do their work but once they started working - it showed!

As always with Apivita, I can't see any harmful ingredients on the list so that's a very big plus. I can't wait to try other masks and the next one I'll be testing is the prickly pear one. I highly recommend trying the pomegranate face mask if you need hydration and basically a little pick-me-up for the skin. For this price, you can't go wrong! If you have any favourites among the Apivita face masks - let me know! -L.