Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream Review, Photos, Swatches!

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream ($9) is described as a "1-step wonder" for your skin. It combines 8 skin benefits for instant skin perfection. These benefits include: bluring your skins imperfections, brightening up the skin, evening out the skintone, smoothing, enhancing and hydrating your skin, and lastly protects your skin with 30 SPF. It also doesn't contain any oils or heavy ingredients.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream is available in (5) shades: Light, Light/Medium, Medium, Medium/Deep and Deep.

Since the formula is so sheer, it's very forgiveable if you pick up a shade that is too light or dark. I have the shade Light/Medium, and it works really well for me when I have a light tan going on - around the MAC NC25 coloring.

It has a really creamy wet consistency - very reminiscent of the texture of Physicians Formula Super BB Cream. The very creamy consistency allows the product to glide across the skin really well like a moisturizer. 

My method of application is my fingers, applying it as I would a moisturizer, in small, light circular motions until blended. If I want to build slightly more coverage (not much, though) I'll add an additional layer on certain areas by dabbing and lightly dragging the product down my face until blended.

The coverage is sheer to light. It won't conceal imperfections, but it will tint the skin as well as make the skin look more even. I really like the way it looks on my skin. I use facial self tanners, so sometimes my skin isn't always even, and this evens out my skin color well and makes my skin look smooth, fresh and dewy. 

This is ideal for those who already have pretty good skin, but would like something extremely natural and sheer on days where you don't want to wear makeup or don't want to look like you are wearing makeup. It's great for daytime, especially if you spend some time in the sun because it has a high SPF. You won't catch me running errands bare faced, but I like to wear this and a little concealer when I want to fake it!

Now, if I don't set it with a light dusting of powder, it's just a little too dewy for my taste. I've worn it without a powder on a few occasions, and my skin felt like it was greasy and just about every area of my face looked shiny. Because of that, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this BB Cream if you have oily skin. It's actually targeted for normal skin, but I find it to be really moisturizing, so I believe it'd work well for dry skin too. 

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light/Medium swatched and blended

Physicians Formula Super BB Cream Review, Photos, Swatches!

Physicians Formula Super BB Cream

Physicians Formula Super BB Cream ($14.95) is a new all-in-one "miracle" multi-tasking cream that combines a hydrating moisturizer, light foundation and sun protection so you can simplify your morning beauty routine.

BB Creams (or beauty/blemish balms) are hugely popular because of the versatility of the product itself. You don't need a moisturizer, serum, primer, sunscreen or foundation because most BB creams do it all for you. Depending on the BB cream, it can treat blemishes/acne and provide anti-ageing. The coverage is typically light, but there are some pigmented formulas out there.

The Physicians Formula Super BB Cream is actually the first BB Cream I've ever tried. Quite honestly the sale tag at CVS and the holographic letting on the tube sealed the deal for me. (I'm pretty easy to please.)

Physicians Formula Super BB Cream is available in two shades: Light/Medium and Medium/Deep. I chose Light/Medium because it looked a little warmer than Medium/Deep. It's a little light for me, but definitely workable with some bronzer.

The consistency is thick and super creamy, so it blends really easily on the skin. Most of the time I apply the product with my fingers as I would apply a moisturizer and work it into my skin until blended. Then if I need any additional coverage, I'll apply a little extra product on a buffing brush and build the coverage wherever needed.

The coverage is light, but it builds really well to a medium coverage. It covers and perfects just about everything on my face unless I have a really red blemish, I might need extra concealing.

It provides a dewy (not oily) finish to the skin. I usually use a light setting of powder and I'm good for most of the day. With the creaminess of the product I'd almost expect it to crease after a few hours (around my mouth and such) and get oily, but it doesn't at all. It stays perfectly in place. (I have very normal or balanced skin for reference).

Here I am wearing Physicians Formula BB Cream, my brows filled in, tiny bit of mascara and a little lipgloss. My typical morning face.

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation Review!

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation ($12.95) is a lightweight, buildable foundation that provides a luminous, glowing finish to the skin. It's actually said to improve the clarity and skin tone with continued use.

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation is available in 15 shades: Porcelain/Light Ivory, Nude Beige, Natural Beige, Sand Beige, Sun Beige, Soft Ivory/Classic Ivory, Natural Buff, Buff Beige, True Beige, Classic Tan, Creamy Natural, Shell Beige, Classic Beige, Soft Sable and Nut Brown/Cocoa.

To find your match a bit easier, the shades are broken up into three categories: Warm, Neutral and Cool. If you know your undertone, you can go straight to the appropriate category and figure out your exact shade. Sound familiar? Yep. L'Oreal True Match Foundation has the same coloring system. I picked W3 Nude Beige (I'm typically a W4 in L'Oreal True Match, but unfortunately my store was sold out of W4, and I was feeling impatient.. must.. have.. now!) W3 is a pretty good match for the MAC NC30 coloring. It's a bit peach - it could use more yellow/golden tones. For reference, it's less yellow than many of the other warm shades in the range.

The consistency is very lightweight; runny, but also very creamy. If I had to compare the consistency to another drugstore foundation, I'd probably say it's the most similar to Neutrogena Healthy Skin, but slightly creamier. Because of the thin texture, it's very easy to blend and doesn't cake or dry on the skin before you're finished blending the whole face.

The coverage is light, buildable to light-medium with an additional layer. I'd prefer if it had a touch more coverage, but it has nice coverage for my "better" skin days. When I want additional coverage, I usually add a touch of Revlon Colorstay Whipped to any areas that need it, and my face looks flawless.

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup Review!

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup ($13.99) is Revlon's newest addition to their foundation family. This mousse-like texture feels silky against the skin, with a "time release" formula that balances skin for a flawless long-lasting look. Provides medium to full coverage and withstands heat and humidity.

Available in sixteen (16) shades: Ivory, Buff, Sand Beige, Nude, Natural Beige, Medium Beige, Warm Golden, True Beige, Natural Tan, Early Tan, Rich Ginger and Caramel.

Being a big fan of Revlon, I was really excited when they launched a new foundation - especially since it's a part of the Colorstay line. After reading several very positive reviews, I didn't hesitate to purchase it! I've been wearing it now for a little under two weeks. (I was wearing it in every post for the month of July)

My color match is Warm Golden, which is a warm medium shade equivalent to the MAC NC30 coloring. In comparison to the Revlon Colorstay Liquid Foundation, it's almost exactly the same, but it's a touch less yellow toned. (Comparison swatches later in this post)

L'Oreal Infallible Advanced Never Fail Makeup Foundation Review.

L'Oreal Infallible Advanced Never Fail Makeup

I'm sure you all know by now that I'm a foundation addict. I love trying new foundations, whether it be drugstore (I don't discriminate!) or high-end, I'm totally interested.

I recently picked up L'Oreal Infallible Foundation on my recent trip to CVS because I had some extra-cash to blow that was ready to expire (literally - it was around 11:30 PM and it expires at midnight).

I've tried L'Oreal's Infallible Lipgloss in the past and √ Liked it, Recently tried their new Infallible Eyeshadows and √ Loved it. So naturally, I became curious to see if their other products were just as good.

L'Oreal Infallible Foundation claims to provide 18 hours of flawless, fade-proof and shine-free coverage, while withstanding heat and humidity and providing sun protection (SPF 20). It's also supposedly ideal for all skin types.

There are fourteen (14) shades to choose from: Soft Ivory, Classic Ivory, Natural Ivory, Nude Beige, Natural Buff, Creamy Natural, Natural Beige, Buff Beige, Sand Beige, True Beige, Sun Beige, Classic Tan, Soft Sable and Cocoa.

I chose Nude Beige, which is alright, but it's not the best match for my skintone. It's a little too neutral (gray) for me, but it's workable. It seems like a good match, but when blended, it appears slightly darker.

Alright, so the consistency of the product is pretty nice. I was expecting it to be thick, considering many say it has pretty good coverage, but it's actually on the thin side (not runny or watery - somewhat comparable to Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation). It's definitely thinner than Maybelline Superstay Foundation and Revlon Colorstay Foundation. It's light and creamy and blends nicely. Just make sure to give it a good shake before you apply it.

READ MORE!

Physician's Formula Youthful Wear Youth-Boosting Foundation & Brush Review.

 Physician's Formula Youthful Wear Youth-Boosting Foundation

I purchased this foundation a couple months ago when I first spotted it on the rack at CVS. I'm not going to lie, the only reason I purchased it is because I saw the little hot pink sticker stuck to the front that reads "TRY ME FREE" that you may spot every once in a while on newly launched Physician Formula products. When you see that little label on the product, it's basically like a mail-in rebate. You send in your receipt in along with the label, and you will receive your money back for the product. (For more information on PF's rebates, click here.)

I'm always interested in trying new foundations, so I thought it was worth a shot, even though it isn't targeted for my age range. That doesn't really matter though, because I've used "firming" and "age-defying" products before and really liked them.

Anyway, Physician's Formula's new Youthful Wear Foundation claims to even out skintone and texture, blending effortlessly while providing a flawless coverage that will last all day. It also claims to be Physican Formula's first ever "Cosmeceutical" foundation that will help treat visible signs of ageing, restoring skins firmness & elasticity and improving the skins appearance in the long-term. Alright, Physician's Formula, You had me at flawless coverage!

Physician's Formula Youthful Wear Foundation is available in three (3) shades: Fair, Light and Medium. Apparently PF didn't get the memo that there are more than three colored skintones out there. 

The foundation is housed in a little purple squeeze tube, which is great for travel (no bulk), convenience (no struggle getting product out), sanitary and you won't waste any product as you'll be able to squeeze out every last drop. And for those of you that like to cut open your squeeze tubes, to literally get every last drop, you'll be sure to get every molecule.

It also comes with a small synthetic foundation brush, which is very soft and actually works pretty well.

READ MORE!

Almay Clear Complexion Makeup Foundation Review!

Almay Clear Complexion Makeup

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

-This soothing Makeup works with salicylic acid, a proven blemish clearing ingredient to prevent future breakouts.
-Infused with meadowsweet to help purify skin as well as aloe and chamomile to protect against dryness and reduce the appearance of redness.
-Helps eliminates oil all day to banish unwanted shine so you get flawless, natural coverage that is perfect for everyday.

Almay Clear Complexion Makeup is available in a very small variety of shades. There are seven shades in total: Ivory, Buff, Naked, Neutral, Beige, Sand and Warm.

I chose the shade Buff, which is a light, warm peachy-beige. It's a good match for my skin when I have no tan - around MAC NC15-20 coloring.

Covergirl CG Smoothers AquaSmooth Compact Foundation Review!

Covergirl CG Smoothers AquaSmooth Compact Foundation

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Designed with AquaCurrent Science, this vitamin-enriched formula directs moisture to your skin's surface to improve its condition over time, while giving smooth, even coverage that makes imperfections virtually vanish before your eyes. This solid makeup transforms into a liquid during application, then dries to an even, powder-light finish.

-Oil-Free and Noncomedogenic (won't clog pores)
-SPF 15 UVA/UVB Sunscreen
-Vitamins B3, B5, and E

There are fifteen (15) shades in total, and considering the compact is packaged closed (yes, the compact is shut and is packaged in plastic so you can't see the color), you'd pretty much have to play the guessing game when picking a shade at the store. The shades are as follows: Ivory 705, Classic Ivory 710, Natural Ivory 715, Creamy Natural 720, Buff Beige 725, Classic Beige 730, Medium Light 735, Natural Beige 740, Warm Beige 745, Creamy Beige 750, Soft Honey 755, Classic Tan 760, Tawny 765, Toasted Almond 770 and Soft Sable 775. Unfortunately, if you have very fair skin or deep-dark skin, there may not be a match for you. The main factor that brings down the rating of this foundation is the shade selection. There aren't enough golden/yellow shades, and many of the shades are too neutral (gray) or too pink. I was lucky to find a match for my non-tanned skin; Classic Ivory, which is a good MAC NC20 color match. It's also said to match NW20. From reviews, I've read that Buff Beige is good for NC25.

Classic Ivory

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation Review!

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup

Product Description: Neutrogena Healthy Skin^® liquid makeup takes over where your skin care leaves off. Silky-light coverage glides on for a perfectly natural look, while the exclusive blend plus SPF 20 work together to visibly improve skin's luminosity, tone, and texture.

• Flawless coverage, lightweight, silky formula
• Exclusive blend of antioxidants and SPF 20
• Maintains skin's young and healthy look
• Available in 12 new shades 

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup is available in twelve (12) shades: Classic Ivory, Natural Ivory, Buff, Nude, Soft Beige, Natural Beige, Fresh Beige, Medium Beige, Warm Beige, Natural Tan, Honey Beige and Tan. 

My color match is Natural Beige. It seemed to have the best yellow tone of the bunch in my range and swatched next to MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC30, they are almost identical, except MAC is slightly more yellow. (see swatches below) 

I think the problem with drugstore foundations is that they often lack a variety of undertones. Many drugstore foundations are too neutral for my skin, and few offer a good yellow undertone. With that said, I was very pleased to find a close match. I also have this foundation in the lightest shade, and I use it often to lighten other foundations of mine. It works fantastic for that.

Revlon PhotoReady Foundation Review, Photos & Swatches!

 Revlon Photoready Makeup

There has been a huge hype about the new Revlon Photo Ready Foundation lately. A lot of people have compared it to Make Up Forever HD Foundation because its good photographing capabilities. Revlon Photoready Foundation claims to look airbrushed in any lighting, with light reflecting pigments to erase all of your flaws. It's also said to provide complete coverage, yet with a natural finish.

Revlon Photoready Foundation is available in twelve (12) shades:  Ivory, Vanilla, Shell, Nude, Natural Beige, Medium Beige, Cool Beige, Golden Beige, Rich Ginger, Caramel, Cappuccino and Mocha. 

I was pretty torn between choosing #006 Medium Beige or #008 Golden Beige. Before going to the store, I had it in my head that I was going to purchase Golden Beige. But, when I actually looked at the bottles, Medium Beige looked darker and more yellow. Golden Beige looked more neutral and beige. So, I ended up choosing #006 Medium Beige. It's a good color match for my MAC NC40 skin tone. I'm sure it can match MAC NC35-37 coloring as well. 

Revlon Photoready Makeup in Medium Beige 

(You can see the shimmer in the bottle)

The consistency is very light and creamy. It's a bit runny, so it spreads across the skin very well without a primer, and I rarely ever have to go back for additional product after buffing the foundation into my skin.

The coverage is a good medium that is buildable. It hides the majority of my flaws, evens out my complexion and makes my face glowy and airbrushed. It dries to a semi-matte that isn't at all dull.

 Swatch of Revlon Photoready Makeup in Medium Beige

As for the "light reflecting pigments" AKA shimmer particles, the reviews for this aspect of the foundation are pretty mixed. I;m sure it depends a lot on your coloring and skin type whether or not it's going to show. Many people said its overly shimmery, and others said they didn't notice any shimmer whatsoever. When I swatched the color on my wrist and really blended it into my skin, I can visibly see lots of shimmer. More shimmer than I've ever seen in a foundation. Once applied to my face, I didn't any shimmer unless I'm looking at my face close-up in the sunlight, or hours later when my foundation starts to get a little shiny and fade, the shimmer appears. I don't think I mind it too much, but I think sometimes shimmer can work against you if you apply too much, and I think there is just too much in this foundation. I think if Revlon cut out half of the shimmer, It'd be a much better foundation.

The lasting power is good. It lasts me a full day with minor fading. I do get shiny after a few hours, but it's no oil slick, so I'll just make sure to dust my face with a little setting powder. One thing I've noticed is that after a few hours, the foundation looks darker on my face than when it was first applied. I'm not sure if this has happened to anyone else, but it continuously happens with me, so I think if I do re-purchase this foundation, I may re-purchase it in a lighter shade, for when I'm less tan.

It's pretty good for a drugstore foundation. Right now I'm going to give it a 4 out of 5. I will keep you updated with what I think about this! I'm going to wear it for a few more days. I purchased this foundation at ULTA for $13.99.

Here's me at work today wearing Revlon PhotoReady

Update: I love the way this foundation looks when it's first applied, but I don't love the way my face looks a few hours later. I find that the color oxidizes a little bit and in the daylight, my face looks orange. This foundation has great coverage and a pretty finish, but it's not HG material for me mostly due to the oxidation. I will probably finish up the bottle, but I'm unsure if I'd re-purchase it. I wouldn't say this is a must-have and I wouldn't say it's a bad foundation. If you find this foundation for a very good price.. try it out for yourself! I'd love to hear your thoughts!