I found a sachet sample of the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation in a magazine a while back when they had newly released. It was in the shade 09 Neutral and I managed to get myself a decent few uses by squeezing the contents into an empty pot (proper efficient me!). I noticed Clinique were handing a lot of shade 09's out in various places, they're still available to this day on eBay actually, in the hundreds! I suppose they thought it'd be a good in-between shade for dispersion to the public! I've tested this formula out a good few times and well... I think I'm in love!

What Clinique Say :

A foundation-and-concealer in one for a natural, beyond perfected look that lasts all day. Lightweight, moisturizing makeup covers thoroughly without clogging pores. Skin breathes comfortably, colour stays true, even through sweat and humidity. Due to the rich pigment level that enhances this flawless coverage makeup, shades may appear deeper when first applied. Leave the foundation to settle just for a few minutes, this will allow the high pigment in the formula to adapt to your skin tone which is why you get such a flawless perfected finish. Suitable for ALL skin types.

How to Use

- Using the large backside of the wand, sweep foundation across your forehead, cheeks, and chin. Then use the angled tip of the applicator – that has a slight dip in it to hold more product – to cover down the bridge of the nose and across the jawline. Blend well with fingers.

- Finish by using the pointy tip to spot conceal any trouble areas – under the eyes, around the outside of the nose, on top of blemishes. Pat and blend well with fingers.

Benefits

- Moisturising

- Works for all skin types

- One dip of the wand gives you a full-face application. Spot-conceals, too.

- Slow-dry formula makes blending easy.

- Dual-sphere particles absorb oil and add hydration.

- 12 hours of full-coverage wear from a flexible formula that moves with skin.

- Natural-matte finish

- Full Coverage

- 20 shades available

- Oil Free

- Fragrance Free

- Ophthalmologist Tested

Packaging

The Beyond Perfecting Foundation comes in a see through, weighty cylindrical glass bottle and the applicator is a mahoosive doe foot. I personally really like the applicator, I find it's a cool and convenient way to apply the foundation directly to my face as it keeps the hands or fingers from getting dirty. Though I have heard complaints from some who (most likely are germaphobes or have very acne-prone skin) aren't too fond of this type of dispensing as they find the re-dipping unsanitary, it's understandable but there are so many cosmetics out there with similar types of packaging and dispensing, like your typical concealer and concealer wand right? Same thing ain't it? Anyway, I like it!

Shade & Oxidisation

The shade 08 Golden Neutral is exactly as it says, it's a golden neutral shade, a smidge more pink and neutral than Nars Sheer Glow in Stromboli but it's the fact that it's a lot more yellow than Neutral that makes it so much more wearable for me, I don't love it and a part of me really wishes it had more golden olive tones in it but I actually love the finish way too much to care enough, it's a good enough match! I've heard majority of the shades in this range are pink which is typical of Clinique's bases, so I don't think there are many options for those who have yellow undertones outside of the NC37-42 range as I've seen a lot of people on YouTube in this range wear Golden Neutral that just about get away with it and even they mention that the shade range could do with some expanding. Also I noticed the shades don't actually go dark or light in chronological order, they seem to jump up and down throughout the 20 shades so it's best you go to the store and test it.

Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Stromboli, Nars Sheer Glow Stromboli, Clinique Beyond Perfecting 08 Golden Neutral, 09 Neutral, Urban Decay One & Done Medium, Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation 7

Another plus point is that it doesn't oxidise, it stays true to its' original tones which is another claim in Clinique's description. Being rather pink toned already shade 09 Neutral could've looked worse on my oxidisation prone skin but it didn't, I kept glancing at my face every now and again to check if it was starting to look inappropriate but it was still completely in the safe zone. I highly believe it was mostly the finish and coverage that made it look so amazingly and surprisingly great, not only the tone adapting pigments, because if it looked the slightest bit cakey or drying it would be a whole other story, but obviously more on the finish later...! It also doesn't make the hyper pigmentation around my mouth look atrocious, but I do use a couple of swipes of Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Caramel to help bring some warmth back to that area.

You can see how yellow/olive Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Stromboli is to the rest and how pink/neutral Clinique Beyond Perfecting 09 Neutral actually is!

The texture of the Beyond Perfecting Foundation is thick, creamy and dense, almost whipped gel like too. It doesn't really drip or budge from its' place, very much like the Milani Conceal & Perfect, which I heard is meant to be a dupe. I've used both brushes and sponges to apply it, I use my favourite H&M BB Cream Brush and do a pat pat, swipe motion like usual and it blends in really well and smooth, it doesn't leave streaks or get cakey. The smooth angled flat top and density of this brush works well with the denseness of the creamy liquid and I get optimum coverage. It's pretty much the same with a sponge, just a little sheerer as the sponge does absorb some product, so I do end up using a bit more, though the sponge does give a smoother finish. What I do sometimes is blend most of it with a brush and then go over really lightly with a sponge to smoothen it out a little more. Clinique recommend using your fingers, I haven't tried this nor would I do this as I'd prefer not to get my hands dirty.

I feel this formula would work for combination to normal to slightly dry skin types as it's quite creamy and moisturising, they do mention that it's for all skin types but I suggest if you're oily then use a mattifying primer and powder well as this formula may be too emollient and radiant for you. If you have dry skin you may find this too thick a formula and it may sit on and exaggerate any dry skin and texture.

This texture works very very well for my skin surprisingly even though I usually prefer my lighter consistencies. Like the Urban Decay One & Done, the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation and the Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude this has a thick creamy whipped texture that coats my skin with a definite layer of product and smoothens it out, the same technology has been used between all of these formula's but this one is definitely my favourite.

Finish

The finish is what totally blew me away! I don't think the shade 09 Neutral would've worked if this finish or formula was any different to what it is. The Beyond Perfecting foundation gives my skin a luminous, deliciously youthful, plump and poreless finish. It's a glowy, satin finish, not at all greasy, but not quite matte either, the light simply reflects off my skin in all the right places. It honestly looks so creamy and luscious on my skin it's as if I drink over 2 litres of water daily, as if I eat well and balanced every single day, as if I exercise regularly and as if my bodies natural Hyaluronic Acid reservoirs haven't started declining yet, nor that I'm a day over 20! It's AH-mazing!

This is the finish I get on my dehydrated combination skin. Though my skin has been behaving well lately and alhamdulillah (all praises to God) is in a much better condition than usual, so I'm not too dehydrated and my texture isn't too bad, I find this formula smoothens my skin and fills in my pores really well, better than most that I've tried so far. My skin type has both the capability  of looking utterly parched or stinkingly greasy and being a dewy skin admirer it's difficult to find a formula that has the right balance which lets me achieve that pretty polished glow that I've always yearned for, without it highlighting every single bump on my skin or looking unflatteringly shiny. I always say bumpy shiny skin is unattractive but I may have just found the perfect formula for me.

I wouldn't say this formula is the most undetectable in finish, it is a thick formula and it's kinda obvious that you have makeup on, but I'd still classify it as a natural finish because of how incredibly smooth and seamless it looks. I know you all know that I like my natural second skin like bases but this formula looks flawless on me without it looking a bit thick or cakey and that's my selling point. I don't mind looking like I have makeup on but it can't be cakey, it needs to be skin enhancing and it needs to look good and this formula looks pretty darn good! Since it's a full coverage foundation you can easily reduce the amount you use to achieve a lighter undetectable coverage, I would definitely do this too but I also think I'd keep this specially for the days for when I want more flawless coverage as I already have other bases that are a lot more undetectable and more natural in finish.

The Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation is very similar to the Milani Conceal & Perfect in terms of their claims and texture but the way they behave on the skin over time proves that there are major differences in the formula which truly set them apart. If you've read the review, you'll know the Milani starts off looking great on me, very smooth and poreless but then turns horrid after a few minutes, it sinks in to all my fine lines and pores and really ages my skin. Whereas the Clinique stays the exact same and in fact makes me look a lot more youthful. I remember I would actually keep checking the mirror every now and again to see if the Beyond Perfecting also decided to do a U-turn but it didn't, it still looked flawless hours later.

Coverage & Build-ability

The Beyond Perfecting Foundation is pretty much a full coverage foundation, it's a pigmented formula, a little goes a really long way and it's definitely build-able so you can start as sheer as you want, which is what I love about full coverage foundations, the coverage is totally adaptable to your desires. I find it astounding how such a full coverage foundation can cover so much yet not look horrendously cakey at the same time and look so natural too. It covers everything! I don't have a lot to cover, some faint marks from old spots, general brown girl uneven skin tone and some mild redness. I use 1 doe foot application and get full coverage, though I do use my orange colour corrector on my problem areas as usual and this keeps it from looking ashy or grey, I can either go in with a couple more dabs of foundation or a little bit of concealer around my mouth if I want more coverage there.

With regards to build-ability I find it builds really easily and smoothly, as mentioned in Clinique's description this doesn't dry or set too fast so you have plenty of time to build and work the foundation into the skin, though I doubt you'd need any more than two layers of this pigmented formula at the most.

Feel

This isn't the most lightweight or thinnest of formula's but it's not super heavy either. As it's a pigmented product you really don't need a lot of product to achieve coverage but I'd say the creamy emollience would be the only give away. The Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation, which is a powerhouse of pigment, is what I'd call lightweight. The Beyond Perfecting Foundation does feel ever so slightly tacky/moist on the skin at the beginning but a good dusting of powder sorts that out. I find this formula is rather hydrating, I love how nourishing and moisturising it feels and I can feel it continually hydrating my face through the day, the finish can vouch for this fact also as my skin looks hydrated too. Some foundations can end up looking very dehydrated in certain areas of my face like around my mouth after a while, but this foundation doesn't do that.

Longevity

Which brings us to longevity, this honestly holds up really well, the first few times I tested this I didn't use any powder, not only was it because I adored the radiant glowy finish but because I obviously wanted to see how the foundation stood up on its own and what the condition of my skin would be as the day went on. I wanted to see if the amazing "glow" would turn on me throughout the day and end up breaking up the foundation or settle in any lines but it stayed put, like they mention it moved with the skin, it was still smooth and poreless. The radiance/shine had increased a little after a few hours but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting, since this is quite an emollient and radiant formula I was anticipating a hell of a lot more grease but it wasn't bad at all. Yet another truth in their claims.

This isn't transfer proof so I highly recommend setting with powder, though there seems to be a film former aspect to it where it sort of settles itself on the skin. I would also make sure to set under the eye if you use it as a concealer there, since it's a creamy formula it'll most probably sit in the creases. On myself I would definitely set with powder if I needed it to last the day but if I don't need for it to last long I would happily stick to the foundations own finish and glow for as long as I could and powder only when I desperately needed to.

Overall Thoughts

I love this formula, I never knew I could get addicted to such full flawless coverage, I think I may have found a new Holy Grail product here! It's very rare that I buy a base that quick after only a few trying it a few times so you know it must be good! It's brilliant that they've managed to meet most if not all of their claims, not many products can do that. This formula has simply worked so well for my skin type and my skin concerns, I never thought I'd rave about a product so much but it's true, I'm in love! I obviously can't guarantee that everyone is going to share the same opinions as mine or have similar results since everyone is different but I definitely recommend you check this out if you like full coverage, skin smoothing, radiant foundations, perhaps pick up one of those 09 Neutral samples from eBay haha! I really wish they expand the shade range so that more people can benefit from this wonderful formula, this is definitely the better version of the Milani Conceal & Perfect Foundation which even though was made as a dupe, it really doesn't compare. This is utter perfection! It's Beyond Perfecting!

Pros:

- Full Coverage

- Gorgeous radiant satin finish

- Very pigmented so little goes a long way

- Easy, convenient packaging

- Skin smoothing and pore filling

- Hydrating and moisturising

- Lasts well on the skin

- Doesn't get unbearably oily on my skin

- Ideal for combination - dry skin types

Cons:

- Not ideal for very oily skin

- Not everyone likes the applicator

- Most of the shades are pink

- Not the most lightweight of foundations

- Not the most undetectable or second skin type of foundation

- Can transfer easily if not set

If you've tried this foundation let me know! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Photo Credit +Lancome USA

Hey lovelies! I'm reviewing the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Foundation today which the lovely Sal at Ummbaby Beauty was kind enough to give me a sample of a while back. I've used it a good few times and am ready to share my thoughts. I'm also going to try and downsize the length of my review, keep it short-ish and sweet but cover all the areas that need to be covered. So without any further ado lets get started!

What Lancôme say:

Our first 24 hour* liquid foundation gives you an even, flawless looking complexion. No need for touch ups. With a blendable fresh texture and a smooth finish. This long-lasting foundation provides the perfect coverage. Foundation can be layered to create a heavier coverage look.

Available in 22 shades.

*Self-assessment by 109 women.

Benefits

Long lasting wear, flawless complexion

How to apply Teint Idole Ultra 24h

Dab a small amount of Teint Idole Ultra 24H to well-moisturised skin, starting on your T-zone, then moving to your forehead, sides of the nose, cheeks and chin. Using a foundation brush or your fingertips, blend the foundation out towards your hair and jaw line to achieve a natural, flawless look.

Packaging

I obviously don't have the full size but I've seen it plenty of times, the foundation comes housed in a sleek, black capped, frosted glass bottle and certainly exudes the elegance of the luxury french brand. Also comes with a pump which is always appreciated. The bottle has recently been renamed and redesigned but still looks very similar to the original. One thing I need to mention is the scent of the Teint Idole, it smells absolutely beautiful, if I were to describe it I'd say it smells of a delicate, slightly floral, fancy french perfume with a hint of TCP :D :D :D (who else likes the smell of TCP?). I love the fragrance of this foundation and would happily bottle this scent and wear it! I find it really comforting.

Shade & Oxidisation

The shade 045 Sable Beige is unfortunately the complete wrong undertone and shade for me, it's quite pinky beige toned and really clashes with my skin, which I'm not too surprised about as french brands tend to have a lack of yellow shades in their ranges and are mostly pink or beige undertoned. It also oxidises on me into a pinky peach tone, it's rather fascinating as I can see the colour change on me. If it stayed pinky beige I could've possibly made it work but the odd match really shows on me and it's one I can't get away with. This is one of those type of shades that actually make my hyper pigmentation look absolutely horrid even if I've colour corrected. (UPDATE: New shade 050 Beige Ambre now swatched HERE)

The swatches are pulling more beige neutral which it is but on my "turmeric" yellow skin it looks more peachy pink

A point to mention is the difference between the shades and shade numbering in the UK and US websites, the US seem to have a lot more shades and they're named and numbered completely differently. Also the UK website mentions the availability of 22 shades but only 8 options are given. With the recent packaging and name relaunch the US have supposedly have launched more shades and now have a total of 40. Will the UK follow pursuit? I hope so, it's all so confusing as the UK website is still the same, I do hope they have a better shade for me as I actually really like the formula.

Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Stromboli, 03 Beige Diaphane, 045 Sable Beige, 05 Beige Noisette Need I mention the obvious lack of yellow/olive in the Lancôme shades?

In the swatches it looks like 045 Sable Beige could possibly work for me but it actually doesn't, Stromboli's olive/ yellow meshes with my skin a lot better.

Texture

The Teint Idole is a creamy liquid texture, it'll run down slowly on the back of your hand. I find it's quite a lightweight and comfortable formula on the skin as described. It blends in effortlessly and sinks into the skin beautifully. This is a formula that sets and dries to a velvety soft powder finish, so you do have to work a little faster than usual, but it's not a difficult formula to work with whatsoever. I've used both brushes and sponges and it works well with both but the sponge does absorb quite a bit of product as this is a thin-ish formula, so I tend to go for the brush most of the time to avoid wasting product. This is a comfortable matte foundation so I would say it's best for combination to oily to slightly dry skin types. It's a very easy hassle free formula to work with and works rather well with my skin but I need to make sure I've prepped appropriately.

Finish

This has a natural matte finish on the skin, not a flat matte. Even though it dries to a soft powder finish it still exudes a soft subtle skin like glow. These formulas work with the moisture on the skin so the luminosity is adjustable with how you prep your skin. It's very skin like and you can easily achieve an undetectable finish. This is good for combination skin and can easily be altered to suit both ends of the skin type spectrum though those with really dry skin may find this not emollient or radiant enough, it may catch on to dry flakes and skin texture as well as sink into any fine lines and give an overall flat dull appearance to the skin.

On my dehydrated combination skin I just need to prep well (like usual) and set lightly with some powder. This gives the skin a soft matte finish and fills in pores just enough. I like the smooth radiant glow when my skin lets out its oils after a few hours, it looks so pretty. My skin has been behaving lately so this formula hasn't been highlighting too much texture but I can imagine it not working too well for those with dry skin fine lines or a lot of texture. This formula is similar to the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation but less glowy and more soft powder matte.

Feel

The Teint Idole is a very lightweight formula, you can barely feel it on the skin, it's really really comfortable and you can easily forget you have anything on. Even though it sets to a powder soft matte finish it doesn't feel drying. Even after a few hours when my oils start coming out it still feels really light. I think this is because the formula isn't very emollient so it doesn't weigh the skin down.

Coverage

The Teint Idole Ultra offers a medium to full coverage. I use 4 to 5 flat dots and get a medium to full coverage finish, I can easily get it to full coverage as I don't have a lot to cover. Those with stubborn or dark marks may need to use a concealer. I personally wouldn't cake layers of this foundation on because I love and appreciate the natural soft matte finish and how even it makes the skin look. I would definitely colour correct around my mouth though and perhaps go in with a few touches of concealer too for my hyper pigmentation if I wanted a more fuller flawless coverage. Like the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk it offers medium to medium full coverage with a moderately small amount but it's not a highly pigmented formula like the Nars All Day Luminous Weightless or the Too Faced Born This Way where a little goes a very long way.

Build-ability

This blends effortlessly into the skin, it also builds pretty decently with a sponge even though it sets to a powder finish it doesn't get cakey or patchy. But I'd recommend you work quickly when using a brush or it might get a little bit patchy as it dries.

Longevity

Now I haven't worn this for 24 Hours so I can't confirm whether this holds up for that long but I have worn this for over 8 hours. Like I mentioned earlier my oils start to come out after a few hours but I like the glow it gives to my skin. I don't think this is a super long lasting foundation -unlike the Estee Lauder Double Wear which adheres superbly to the skin- but it does seem to stay together and doesn't disintegrate or fade anywhere. I wouldn't say it's completely transfer proof either, I'd definitely recommend to set with some powder and also use a primer if your skin type allows you to prime as well as powder. Setting with only powder works fine for me but if I wanted to make it last longer I would use a teeny bit of primer too only in specific areas.

Overall Thoughts

I do like this formula, it's so easy to use and really really comfortable on the skin, I love how lightweight it is, you seriously can't feel any product on the skin. It's rather reminiscent of my beloved Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. I've come to adore its' soft velvety glow on the skin. Unfortunately it's a case of lovely formula and an imperfect shade. I really hope the new shade launch includes some yellow olive shades as I really like the formula and adore it's lovely scent. I wouldn't say I absolutely love this foundation but I really truly can't fault it either, it was an absolute pleasure to sample. As usual I hope you found this review helpful.

Pros

- Lightweight and comfortable

- Ideal for combination skin types

- Undetectable skin like finish

- Soft matte finish

- Medium to medium full coverage

- Smells lovely

Cons

- Shade 045 is the wrong shade for me

- Oxidises

- Not ideal for very dry skin

- US and UK shade charts/ranges are confusing

I managed to get hold of a sample coupon of the latest Estee Lauder foundation the Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Foundation through their website, I was prompted to take the voucher to my nearest Estee Lauder counter to get colour matched and was given a 7 day sample. So I went to my nearest counter and gave them the coupon, they used a hand held matching device and placed it on several parts of my face, I was matched to the Nude shade Honey Bronze 4W1. I've been using this for a while and am ready to share my thoughts. 

What the website says:

Touch on, buff and blend to your perfect nude. Polishes and evens skintone for a healthy-looking glow. Skin-loving, weightless and comfortable formula instantly hydrates. 8-hour wear. Innovative stick combines liquid makeup and applicator in one. You'll know it's time to replenish as the stick becomes smaller until the clear window disappears. In shades for all skin tones.

BENEFITS

Liquid Makeup + Pro Tool In One. 8-Hour Wear.

COVERAGE

Sheer-To-Medium Coverage, Buildable

FINISH

Radiant

FORMULA FACTS

Dermatologist-Tested

Ophthalmologist-Tested

Oil Free

Packaging

Now I don't have the full product but I've seen it in action and hmmm I'm not too keen on it, I don't really like sponge applicators, I don't like the fact that product can get wasted and 'lost' in the sponge. Estee Lauder have done a smart thing by making the applicator removable and washable, they've also designed the stick so that you can re-twist product back into the tube which is excellent but I'm still not sure about it. I know that this product was made to be used on the go and I suppose that yes it's actually a very functional and practical type of packaging and dispensing, so I guess I could possibly warm to it if I needed to keep it in my handbag, it probably would be helpful. But one thing that really annoys me is how little product you get in the tube, 14ml of product! That's less than half your typical bottle of foundation and it's rather pricey at £28! I would consider purchasing this but the price is quite a put off. Yes the 14ml size is again ideal for travel but then they should've made the price a little lower. Okay fine I'll admit it, the packaging isn't too bad, it's quite cool.

Shade & Oxidisation

I was matched by the hand held device to the shade Honey Bronze 4W1, I would describe it as a warm neutral beige tone, there isn't quite enough olive in it to match my skin perfectly but surprisingly this undertone actually works quite well for me, I don't look too peachy or too orange or too beige, it just looks like a warm golden beige on me which I can deal with. Surprisingly it works a ton better than the original Double Wear in Cashew (review HERE) which I would find a bit too rich and golden.

I think the shades in the Nude range definitely run lighter than the original so I suggest you rematch yourself with this new range. Because I was so surprised at how well it worked for me I went back to the store a couple of times and done some swatch comparisons of the shades in the two ranges and had some interesting finds. First off Nude Honey Bronze 4W1 was lighter than the Original Cashew 3W2. Secondly Original Honey Bronze 4W1 is lighter than Original Cashew 3W2! Odd isn't it? (INCORRECT - SEE UPDATE BELOW) Here are the swatches:

With regards to oxidising I do find it oxidises a teeny bit, I'm curious to try the Nude Cashew 3W2 and see what the oxidisation colour looks on me. I love how this shade doesn't make me look ashy or grey, especially on my hyper pigmentation areas, it seems to work really well over the top of a colour corrector and doesn't look too awful even if I don't. The swatch below isn't picking it up but it sort of oxidises into a more pinky peach shade rather than orange, my neck does scream olive/yellow but overall it doesn't look terrible.

You can see traces of the Original Double Wear still on my hand, I was scrubbing and scrubbing but it just wouldn't come off haha!

Texture

I think the texture is what I've fallen in love with. This has a very similar texture to the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation (review here) and the Urban Decay One & Done (review here). It has that thick yet lightweight creamy gel texture that seems to work really well with my fussy skin. It won't run down the back of your hand. I've used brushes and sponges and both work well, it blends in effortlessly though the sponge does sheer it out a bit, but I love how smoothly it applies with the sponge. I'd recommend this texture for those with combination / dry skin as the radiant and hydrating feel may be a bit too much for those with oily skin. It's a very skin like, skin mimicking texture where it coats the skin with a layer of product that just imitates natural healthy skin. I also suggest you make sure you haven't got any flakeys, even though this is hydrating it will sit around and emphasise flakes like the One & Done so prep well. I'd say it's slightly more denser than the One & Done and slightly more unforgiving but nonetheless I really like the formula.

Feel

The Double Wear Nude goes by its name and is nice and lightweight on the skin, you can't really feel much product on the skin, but because there is some emollience in the formula, that might be the only giveaway especially if you have oily skin. Once applied it gently sets, if you touch your skin it does feel a bit tacky which is why I would recommend you set it with powder because it isn't transfer proof. I think this is a good in-between tinted moisturiser / foundation mix. It's hydrating but offers coverage.

Finish

It's classed as a hydrating radiant formula and I agree, I think this is why I really like the formula, it's beautiful on the skin, it really looks so skin like and gives me that much yearned for smooth, polished, radiant, plump finish. It is radiant and dewy but not overly, I set it with some powder to take down the radiance a notch and it's perfect, I'd say its a natural radiant satin finish. Like the Urban Decay One & Done I love how it fills in pores and gives the skin a smooth appearance, I reckon very similar technology was used with the Double Wear Nude, the One & Done and the Magic Foundation. These formulas seem to work really well with the uneven texture on my skin and smoothens out the surface and doesn't exaggerate any lines or bumps. Just make sure to set it into place with a powder as this can look greasy after a while if not set.

Coverage

It's a sheer to buildable medium coverage, on myself it's solid medium and a little more, I use a small pea size and the coverage is just right for me. It covers any redness on my face and conceals the light scars that I have, I don't need a ton of coverage so this formula is perfect for me, it covers just enough without masking and lets my skin peek through slightly. I use a light layer of colour corrector under my eyes and around my mouth and it's just enough coverage and doesn't make those areas too grey or ashy. If you have problem skin you might want to go in with a concealer on your problem areas. I would personally go in with a concealer for under my eyes and around my mouth if I wanted a more flawless coverage.

Build-ability

This blends in really nicely and effortlessly, this does have a light setting factor where the film former starts to set on the skin, if you want to build I suggest you do it in sections as like the One & Done it gets a bit patchy or cakey as it dries down especially if you're using a brush. It builds and blends better with a sponge. I like to treat this as a tinted moisturiser so I wouldn't use more than a pea size for the finish and look that I want.

Longevity

On myself I have to set this if I want it to last, I actually couldn't go without setting it as it's quite creamy and I get quite oily without setting within half an hour. I find this type of formula works well for me as it keeps my skin hydrated and I'm reassured that my skin won't get dehydrated which causes the foundation to sink into lines and looks patchy and parched. Once it's set I get the longevity I need and only need to powder my t-zone after a few hours. Like I mentioned earlier this seems to have some sort of film former which sets it slightly so it's not too slippy slidey considering it's quite a hydrating creamy formula.

Overall Thoughts

Compared to my last foundation review I'm glad this one's a lot more positive. It's not often that I find formulas that work with my skin type, so when I do find one I get excited and attached to it. I obviously have a type haha. I might even consider getting the full size because I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it. Yes the product is overpriced but sometimes a happy result is worth it. If you have combination dry skin with not a lot to hide I suggest you look into this foundation, it's definitely a good addition to their line and I definitely get along with it better than the Original Double Wear formula. As usual I hope this was useful.

Pros

- Skin like / second skin finish

- Smoothens my skin and fills in pores

- Radiant satin finish

- Hydrating

- Lightweight

- Solid medium coverage

- Ideal for combination skin
- Travel convenient packaging

Cons

- Overpriced for the amount of product you get

- Only 14ml of product

- Can look greasy after a while if not set with powder

- Not suitable for really oily skin

Some of the products that I use to tackle my dry / dehydrated skin

This ones a no brainer guys, everyone knows water is so so important for the human body. I try to drink as much water as I can (of the recommended amount) during the day, it really makes a difference for me. I can tell if I've been slack with my water intake as my skin/body starts to feel really taut and I feel the dehydration inside me. Water is always my first choice of drink, one thing that helps me keep it up is by keeping a bottle with me all the time. Trust me once you get into the habit of drinking water you'll realise you won't be able to be a day without it.

- I try and drink 2 litres a day. To work out how much water you need to drink for your body size, you have to half your body weight in ounces. e.g. 100 pounds = 50 ounces = 1.4 litres

I have what I call "lazy skin", I find my skin's a bit sluggish at renewing itself so I tend to get tight, rough and dull really quickly. When my skin is dry I find even the thickest, richest moisturisers don't do squat for me unless I get rid of that top dead layer of skin. That is why I can't live without acids especially in the winter as they do such a wonderful job of exfoliating the top layer of dead skin making any product I put on top of it sink in wonderfully, and not only that, but AHA's also help lighten dark marks, evens out the complexion, helps tackle breakouts and gives your skin a renewed glow. If you're prone to dryness or flakes or think you have lazy skin like mine, look into AHA acids, it'll seriously change your life.

- Remember to use sunscreen when using AHA's!

- Some of my favourites are The Ordinary 30% AHA + 2% BHA, The Ordinary 10% Lactic Acid, Bravura 15% Glycolic Acid Night Treatment, Bravura 10% Glycolic Acid as well as their 2 acid toners and Rodial Skin Brightening Mask. Lactic Acid is a good option for those with sensitive skin. (reviews HERE)

- I use chemical exfoliants 2-3 times a week depending on how dry and rough my skin is feeling.

Once you're sure you've gotten rid of any dead skin cells you need to nourish and feed your skin with moisture. Our skin needs oil as well as water to keep it healthy. Moisturisers are usually a mix of oils, water, humectants and emollients of varied amounts, though you might want to start considering using extra oils alongside your moisturiser if you find your usual moisturiser isn't cutting it. I find using oils really helps make my skin feel uber soft. I add 2-4 drops of oil in my palm and then press into my skin, then I go over with my moisturiser, not only does this lock the oil into the skin but it gives an extra boost of moisture as well as added skin benefits. I do this throughout the year if I feel my skin's feeling extra dry. Also make sure you find a moisturiser formula that works for you, I'm so fussy with moisturiser formulas but I'll know instantly when I've found the one, I'll experience instant replenishment and comfort as soon as I've applied it.

- Using a blend of pure cold pressed oils is really good for the skin. I'm currently alternating between B . Enriched Facial Oil (review HERE), Mahogany Naturals Hydrating Repairing Oil and The Ordinary Rosehip Seed Oil

- For moisturisers I'm currently enjoying The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Hyaluronic Acid, its the ideal moisturiser if you want to give your skin all the right ingredients that'll keep the surface of your skin moisturised and protected. I also love Bravura Azulene Moisturiser and Pestle & Mortar Hydrate Lightweight Moisturiser (reviews HERE)

- Favourite sunscreen/daytime moisturiser is Boots Soltan Dry Touch Face Cream SPF30 (review HERE)

I like to think of Hyaluronic Acid as a sponge in my skin, it's a natural humectant (like glycerin), humectants attract water and Hyaluronic Acid can hold up to a 1000 times its own weight in water. Sometimes when we moisturise, some of the moisture can leave our skin by evaporating into the air but Hyaluronic Acid will hold onto that moisture really well so we don't have as much moisture loss and it also takes this moisture to the lower levels of skin which helps keep our skin looking plump, firm and healthy. Hyaluronic Acid comes mostly in serum forms so you'd use it before your oils and moisturisers.

- I'm currently using Pestle & Mortars Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum. I'll move onto The Ordinary's version next as it's much more affordable.

This tip is essential for keeping my skin soft and hydrated throughout the day and has had the biggest impact for me personally (after acids). I'm usually the type to cleanse, moisturise and be done with it for the day (my night time routine is usually extensive), but sometimes this simple 2 product routine just isn't enough for me so I've learnt to add more products to my day time routine that really build a sturdy layer of hydration which really quench my skins thirst and also doesn't result in too much moisture loss throughout the day. Instead of doing a 2 step routine I do up to a 5 step routine, I know that sounds excessive but I'd rather do this routine than feel that horrible tight and rough feeling throughout the day and do remember it's not always 5 products, sometimes it's less depending on how my skin is feeling at the time. So I cleanse, sometimes tone, then follow with Hyaluronic Acid Serum or another serum, then a few drops of oil and then seal it all in with moisturiser and if I need I'll use a hydration mist during the day. Layer your products guys!

- Also avoid using products that strip the skin, believe it or not stripping cleansers are one of the biggest culprits. Your skin shouldn't feel tight or dry after you've cleansed, if it does then you know the cleanser's not right for you.

- Most serum formulas are quite hydrating, so even if its isn't described as a hydrating formula, layering the serum with your routine will make a difference as well.

Which brings us to our next tip which is using hydration sprays/mists during the day, there are so many options available out there to choose from. Hydration mists usually consists of water, humectants and other skin benefitting ingredients. I'm not overly keen on mists that have too much glycerin in them, I don't mind a little bit of glycerin but I can't stand the overly sticky sprays. So I've made my own glycerin free version which is quite easy to make and contains only a few ingredients. Heres the link to that post. 

- I'm currently enjoying the B. Confident Hyaluronic Acid Spritz, I also love The Body Shop Vitamin E Mist

My final tip to help keep your skin hydrated in the winter is getting yourself a humidifier. I've used humidifiers for the longest time, I love how they keep the air in the room clean, fresh and fragrant but also like how extra beneficial they are in the winter months. I generally use the humidifier almost everyday and really feel the benefits. The radiators are usually continuously blasted in our house during the colder months as the older members can't cope with the cold. It does get extremely warm and toasty in the house and I find this dehydrates me a heck of a lot because the air is so so dry, using a humidifier puts moisture back in to the air which the radiator heat dries out and so in turn your skin isn't feeling as parched. You can buy a humidifier for as little as £10 so it's quite affordable.

- My ones from Dubai and it happens to tell me the time as well :D but you can easily get a standard simple one from eBay or Amazon.

Personally for me these tips are fool proof and an essential part of my routine, I seriously can't be without them but I obviously can't guarantee that they will work for everyone. Definitely experiment and see what routine works for you, you may need to make more effort in one area than another. If you have any tips or products that you'd think I'd like myself then please let me know. As always I hope you find this was helpful. Toodles! 

Hello lovelies! I'm reviewing the Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation today. This foundation had been getting so much rave last year and I've been desperate to get my hands on it, plus I had major hopes for the shade 06 Sand Beige. I was sort of under the impression and slightly hoping that this would be the drugstore dupe of my favourite foundation formula the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation (review here), solely based on how smooth the application and finish looked in demos on youtube. I've had some interesting yet slightly disappointing finds with the Milani Conceal + Perfect and have a bit of a love / hate relationship with it, if you'd like to know more just keep on reading...

What the website says:

Combat under eye circles, redness and other skin imperfections with this full coverage, water-resistant foundation plus concealer in one. A no mess, no drip pump dispenses just the right amount of fluid needed to achieve a flawless look and works around the clock to keep skin looking naturally perfect!

Shades Available:

·        01 Creamy Vanilla - For fair skin tones with cool undertones.

·        02 Natural - For light skin with golden undertones.

·        03 Light Beige - For light skin with neutral undertones.

·        04 Medium Beige - For light to medium skin tones with neutral undertones.

·        05 Warm Beige - For medium skin tones with rosy undertones.

·        06 Sand Beige - For medium skin tones with warm undertones.

·        07 Sand - For medium skin tones with neutral undertones.

·        08 Light Tan - For medium skin tones with cool undertones.

·        09 Tan - For medium to deep skin with neutral undertones.

·        10 Golden Tan - For medium to deep skin tones with golden undertones.

·        11 Amber - For medium to deep skin tones with warm undertones.

·        12 Spiced Almond - For deep skin tones with neutral undertones.

·        13 Chestnut - For deep skin tones with golden undertones.

·        14 Golden Toffee - For deep skin tones with warm undertones.

Packaging

The Milani Conceal + Perfect Foundation comes housed in a sturdy glass bottle, it's quite weighty because of this, I'd be wary of dropping this on hard surfaces. Thankfully it comes with a pump and a good controllable one at that, it's up to you if you want to dispense a full pump or a little dot. The foundation has a scent, but I can't seem to decide whether I like it or not, I liked it at first but I find it strange as well at times.

Shade & Oxidisation

Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Stromboli, Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless 220, Milani Sand Beige 06

Before and after Oxidising

I was very very hopeful of the shade 06 Sand Beige, it's really hard to get hold of samples or try any testers out as the only store that sells them is Beauty Base in Westfield. I looked up on swatches online and went into the store couple of times to swatch and it looked really promising. It's a really good shade and I personally think it's a rare olive shade here in the UK drugstore (Maybelline 220 being the other). It's a wonderful mix of golden yellow beige with some olive. On myself it's a really nice match, it matches and flatters my skin tone nicely. This does oxidise on me, when first applied I absolutely love it, it looks so nice and glowy and pleasantly flatters my complexion, then it gradually starts to oxidise and develops a slight dullish tinge, it's not too bad -I wish it didn't- still an excellent shade and still retains it's yellow undertones but I don't think I'd go down a shade as the undertones don't look as promising. Though something I need to mention is that the oxidisation colour looks horrible around my hyper-pigmentation, I've noticed that when shades are a bit warm or have a dullish tinge in it, it makes my hyper pigmentation look grey regardless of whether I've colour corrected with orange or not. Strange but true, has anyone experienced anything similar?

Texture

The texture of the Milani Foundation is really thick and creamy, it won't budge when you pump it out onto the back of your hand. It's a proper dense liquid foundation. I've used both brushes and sponges and both work well in blending the foundation in but I think the beauty blender is a little more effortless compared to the brush. This formula is interesting, it's really thick but isn't super duper heavy on the skin considering how dense it is. I wouldn't call this a lightweight formula at all, like I mentioned earlier I was hoping it had the skin smoothing yet lightweight texture of the CT Magic Foundation but this one is quite an obvious/heavy texture on the skin. I would recommend this formula for those with combination oily skin. On my dehydrated combination textured skin it's quite heavy and obvious and sinks into all my lines whilst looking unflatteringly satin-y. If you have dry skin or really oil skin I'd stay away from this foundation as this exaggerates dry flakes and can also look and feel oily and greasy if you're very oily. When I've used this with a primer it's not so dewy looking and more of a demi-matte which I prefer with this formula.

Finish

When first applied the finish is beautiful, it's a gorgeous glowy satin finish, my skin looks smooth, poreless and plump, it's kinda obvious that I have makeup on but it looks really good. I absolutely love how flawless it looks at the beginning but then after 5 mins it all changes and starts to go downhill. It hurts me to say this but it looks gross on my skin after it sets. It highlights EVERY minuscular bump and imperfection on my skin, ALL the tiny dots and pores on the surface of my skin are exaggerated, it also settles into all the tiny fine lines running across my entire forehead, the area around my mouth looks really cakey. It exposes all the imperfections that I didn't even know I had. This actually looks worse on me than the Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation (review here) because it's a thicker and heavier formula. I can make the Nars ADLW work for me but I can't always get the Milani to work. It just looks thick, heavy, cakey and obvious on me unfortunately.

Seriously this foundation gets me so upset about my skin, I know I have skin texture issues and it's my biggest downer but I try my best to tackle and treat it, it's not terribly awful but with the Milani Foundation it looks much worse than it actually is and the result is the complete opposite of what I would want from a foundation. Like with every new foundation I always get opinions from others and my sister said it aged my skin so that speaks for itself really. 

This is also quite glowy for an oil free foundation, it does look nice and glowy on my skin at first but after it settles in the shine looks awful, like I always say bumpy shiny skin isn't an attractive look so I make sure to powder it with a skin smoothing powder. I've used my Kick Ass Powder (review here) specifically with this foundation because that the Kick Ass Powder is a foundation perfecter for me and it always makes my base look better, it does help a lot but I can achieve a full flawless look with other full coverage foundations that perform and look better on me (e.g. Too Faced Born This Way (review here)) so the negatives of the Milani aren't worth it.

I've been writing this blogpost in over a span of a month so trust me when I say I've given this foundation many goes and have trialled it with different techniques, so I've been updating and tweaking the post here and there following my experiences. On a positive note I've figured out a way how to make it work with my skin, because this foundation is quite pigmented I've realised I don't need to use a lot of product to achieve the finish and look I want. On well prepped and moisturised skin I use a few drops of The Ordinary High Spread-ability Fluid Primer (let me know if you want a review), I use only 4x 5p dabs of foundation and blend it out with a brush or sponge and achieve medium coverage, minimal caking and settling in lines and a smooth natural finish. At first I used to use around a pump and a half and it was far too cakey for my liking, now I use around 3/4 of a pump. I finally set it lightly with either Soap & Glory Kick Ass Powder or the Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Powder.

Also like I mentioned earlier this looks horrible on my under eye and around my mouth, it makes me look awfully grey even when I've colour corrected which is strange because my under eye circles aren't that bad at all, so what I do is avoid those areas and use a concealer there instead or just go in lightly with the foundation using minimal product.

Feel

The Milani Foundation doesn't feel as heavy on the skin than how it looks but I wouldn't regard it as a super lightweight formula because of how dense and creamy the formula is. I think there are definitely formulas out there that are much lighter on the skin. Even though there's a setting factor there is no tight or tautening feeling on the skin and it's not drying either. Being oil free it's quite a creamy formula, I would recommend setting this as it can feel quite tacky and emollient without any powder. Once set with powder you may be able to feel product on the skin as the product build up might make it more obvious, though this is dependable on how much you use, otherwise it's a fairly comfortable formula. I use probably 3/4 of a pump and get a light comfortable feel.

Coverage

One thing that I can rate is the coverage of this drugstore foundation, you can definitely achieve full coverage with it even though full coverage with this formula makes me look cakey. It's quite impressive how well this covers and most definitely performs to its name and claims. I usually prefer medium coverage but don't mind a flawless face once in a while hence why I was willing to give this a go. Like I mentioned earlier I love how it looks on me when I first apply it, full flawless glowy coverage but how it looks afterwards is what puts me off. I can't stand how mask like it looks on me. As a concealer its not bad, but it's not the most pigmented concealer, it's more of a full coverage foundation than a highly pigmented concealer so if you have dark or stubborn imperfections you may want to go in with a separate concealer. For example one layer of this doesn't conceal my hyper pigmentation or my dark circles and my dark circles aren't that bad. It also creases a lot under my eyes and laugh lines so make sure you set it well if you use it there. I personally think there are better foundations out there which offer full coverage but are much more lighter on the skin but for a drugstore foundation and the price point this is great.

Build-ability

This foundation blends pretty well on the skin and does build equally well too, I haven't needed any more than two layers and have never had any issues of patchiness or cakiness whilst building the Milani, the foundation looks cakey on my skin but its not a cakey formula if that makes sense, meaning I think it's my skin type that disagrees with the formula. 

Longevity

When I first used to use this foundation it made my skin look awful and I usually ended up running to the bathroom to wash it off after 20 minutes because I refused to display such awful makeup to anyone. As the minutes went by it used to look worse and worse, by the 8th hour it started to separate and break up as well as look quite oily, not pretty. But now that I've figured out a routine that works with me I can make this last a decent amount of time without it looking horrible. This formula does sink and mesh into the skin well which is why I think it emphasises every irregularity on my skin but it's not at all transfer proof, it does transfer really easily onto anything it comes into contact with so definitely set it well. 

Overall Thoughts

I do feel really alienated when the vast majority of masses rave about a certain product and I feel the complete opposite way about it. The Milani Foundation is one of those products unfortunately (like the Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Foundation (review here)). Like is my skin really that difficult to cater to? I'm just not keen on how the Milani looks on me, when I wear foundation I want it to make my skin look as perfected as is possible working in line with my issues whilst keeping it as skin like as possible, this formula isn't skin beautifying on me at all, I can make it work and the shade is pretty decent but I have other foundations and formulas that don't require as much work. I know that when you have skin imperfections and irregularities it's harder to imitate beautiful healthy skin in an undetectable way but I usually tend to strike a balance where you might be able to see makeup on my skin but it's smooth even looking makeup and skin enhancing at the same time. I reckon the smoother your skin is the better the Milani Foundation will look on you. Please if there's anyone out there that feels the same way as I do, do comment down below as I feel awful for feeling and writing so negatively about such a raved product. All in all as usual I hope this review was helpful.

P.S. I think this may be very similar to the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation (review now HERE- It's SO much better than the Milani! I frickin' LOVE it!!!), I have a sample and they're very similar.

Quick Round-up

Pros

- Medium to full coverage

- Very pigmented

- Smooth creamy texture

- Looks really flawless and glowy (at first - on me anyway)

- Satin finish

- Shade 06 Sand Beige is a good yellow olive shade for those who struggle to find good olive shades

- Best for combination to slightly oily skin types

Cons

- Thick texture

- Sets and sits horribly on my skin

- Highlights texture and sinks into my lines and pores (on me)

- Can look cakey and obvious (on me)

- Oxidises

- Not suitable for very oily skin or very dry skin

- Formula just didn't work for my skin unfortunately