Sunday 28 June 2015

Correction Perfection

As many of us have, I have been on the hunt for a new foundation lately. One that can make my skin flawless and smooth, without looking cake like and gross. Something that is natural but build able, hiding  all of the horrible reds that accompany blemished and the deep purples under my eyes. I am very fussy with my foundations and I think I ask too much of them. I have previously loved many department store and pharmacy brands my favourites being Chanel lumiere aqua, Chanel 'Le Beige Healthy Glow Fluid', Nars 'Sheer Glow' and Bourjois 'Healthy Glow Mix', however on a day to day basis my skin doesn't need to be lathered in foundations, I don't have the time to paint on my perfect completion either. So this time, as I admired all that Mecca Maxima has to offer, I discovered the Stila 'One Step' primer. 




The Stila 'One Step' is a primer with three different colours that combat uneven pigments in the skin. Naturally my skin has a yellow undertone but I get a lot of redness on my chin and sometimes deep purple discolouration around my eyes. The green tones in particular are fantastic at cancelling out the redness in the skin, while the purple and pink/orange tones brighten the completion, concealing the darker spots and general pigmentation that you may have from old acne scars, sun exposure or other skin traumas. An even amount of each colour is dispensed in each pump which is  useful to evenly cover all the the little areas of redness or pigmentation all over the face, as opposed to spot treating one specific area. If you do have a particularly problematic section then you can gently pat on more and build up the coverage. 


One thing to keep in mind when using this product is that it needs some time to warm up on your skin. After applying  it leave it to sit on your skin before applying anything else. It works best when applied to well moisturised skin. If you do build it up for better coverage, I highly recommend very gently using a stippling brush (such as this one by Samantha Chapman) to apply your foundation or BB cream, as if you the serum tends to be disturbed with friction making it appear like rubber shavings. To avoid this simplify use a soft brush (as afore mentioned) to gently dab the makeup over the top, achieving a naturally flawless appearance. 


Overall I love this product, it doesn't need to be worn with anything else it does such a good job if you just want to even out you skin but still look very natural (or you just don't want to wear makeup). The only down sides are, firstly that it is a little trickier to apply makeup without disturbing the areas that you have built up. Secondly, it doesn't have any SPF, so unless you daily moisturiser is enough or you do apply somethings like the Kiehl's BB cream with 50+ protection, you will not have any sun protection.


 Before. Applying the product. After blending and building.
    
Still One Step   $52, available at Mecca Maxima

Stippling brush, Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman  $25: 
(Available at: https://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/cosmetic-accessories/cosmetic-brushes-and-9applicators/your-finish-perfected-stippling-brush-1-ea)

Keihl's BB Cream   $38: 
(http://www.kiehls.com.au/skincare/by-category/dermatologist-solutions/actively-correcting-beautifying-bb-cream)

Sunday 14 June 2015

The Search for 'the' Cleanser

I have tried a lot of cleansers during my expeditions through skin care and makeup. Many skin products marketed to 'oily' or 'acne prone' skins are incredibly drying, which in turn promotes oil production in the skin. This is good, as it allows for the natural function of the skin and ideally unclogs the pours. Unfortunately, that is only one perspective of the purpose of these products. I have found my skin (particularly on my nose) while using these 'oily skin and acne fighting' products becomes very flaky but, remains oily. Many of the ingredients in most supermarket (and ever department or pharmaceutical products) are heavily 'acid' base products that are designed to help lift dead skin and clear pours. This leaves the skin bare and exposed as it removes a lot of natural oils (which contribute to blocked pours) and promotes oil production to make up for the loss of it's protective and noising oils. If you haven't had success with this style of product you may have ventured further into the many varieties of skin care. I was once I did this that my skin was transformed from 'okay at best' to 'glowing'.

In short:  Oil stripped = Oil replenished at higher rate.  Moisturising and Protecting = Reduced natural oil production, reduced damage from products/ abrasion (commonly in exfoliants)/ unprotected raw skin (stripped by chemical products).

Oil cleansers are something that has scared me for quite a while. Why would I want to add thick oily cleansers to my face, I already have way too much. I thought this until I found the Bobbi Brown oil cleanser (see at: http://www.bobbibrown.com.au). This cleanser is very good at removing eye makeup (but not so much for water resistant) as well as general foundation. As you can see from the photos below, this products has become a much loved addition to my skin care collection. It is not an ever day product for me, although it could be used like that. I use it when I feel that my skin needs an extra something to pep it up after a few dry winter days or when I am simply too tired and lazy to properly remove my makeup.



Bobbi Brown, Soothing Oil Cleanser:  $60

It retails for $60 in Australia, which is a little pricy for the product but I believe it is worth it. The smells of the jasmine flower extract are divine and it feels gorgeous on the skin. You can rub some over your face and massage it down your neck, leave it for a few minutes then wash it off in the shower. Revealing soft and plump skin, perfectly primed for the rest of your beauty regime.  After using this several times, I found that my skin was noticeably less flaky and less oily during the day. If you find yourself needing a quick and easy skin hydration in dryer weather, or need something to help combat dry flaky skin with combination oily skin or due to other products, I highly recommend this product. I have not been able to compare this product with any similar but more economical products that I like better so far. It smells amazing, feels wonderful and is so incredibly easy to use, fitting into my morning rush to get ready perfectly.


Please leave a comment letting me know what you think of this product, similar products, or what your skin dilemma is!