Firm Favourite: MAC Fix+

Hi Dolls,

I hope you're doing well?

We went on a family vacay last week down to KZN, and it was so lovely!  You would never think they're having fall weather over there, it feels like middle of summer for me, and everybody dresses so casual - the vibe down there is just awesome and I miss it already!

Anyway, this is another product that I've been using for years.  It's absolutely a firm favourite with me that I've repurchased constantly.

MAC Prep & Prime Fix+ - R235.00 / 100ml

I've read that this makes some people breakout, I have sensitive skin that is prone to acne breakouts and I've never had any, but I suppose it differs for everyone.  On top of that I do have combination skin (that is drier in winter times), with an oily t-zone, and I don't find that this makes me more oily than when I don't use it (it will give you a glow after your sprayed it on but it's not oily).  I just had to address some concerns first because I know that these are common problems that a lot of women seem to have.

You may think that this is a product for setting makeup, which it is, but there are tons more uses!

I use this as a primer, especially during times when my skin feels very dry, I literally soak my skin in this before applying makeup as it leaves it feeling very hydrated and takes away that stiff feeling your skin may have.  Sometimes I'll apply this after a primer or I'll just use it alone as a primer.  Not only will it give you added moisture this way, but if you're looking for a way to lock in your makeup from morning to night (no budging) give it a try.

Also, instead of wetting your beauty blender, to get a fuller coverage and lock your foundation in to stay all day in place, just spritz fix+ on your beauty blender, and I also use this method for my under eye concealer (which is MAC Pro Longwear concealer), as I feel it helps lock the concealer into the fine lines and helps to minimize under eye creasing.

And then obviously the way that most people use it is after all of my makeup has been done, do 2 - 3 spritzes all over.  Seriously, this stuff literally locks in your makeup as is, I do my makeup around 7am in the morning, and by 8pm at night it still looks the same.  Plus, I have oily skin and it still doesn't budge.

I also like the smell of it, not sure what's in it exactly but it's just a very fresh scent which I enjoy.

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Beauty Roundup ft. Garnier, Revlon & Almay

Hi Lovely Friends,

I hope you had a great weekend?!

I've decided to start a roundup series for all mini product reviews/introductions, instead of doing a gazillion reviews, I'll select which ones I think you'll enjoy the best.

So the first beauty roundup (it's more beautiful things instead of just beauty), features some exciting new products.

iPad Air Forever New Cover

My hubby recently surprised me with an iPad, I've worked on my Sony Vaio for years and it started giving me problems, plus, it's way more convenient to blog on an iPad. Anyway, I got this pretty cover from Forever New for R195 - what a bargain. It's a gorgeous coral-pink and the inside is creamy white with gold polka dots.

Garnier Fresh Radiance Boosting Scrub Wake me Up

Although I love the Placecol scrub I wrote about here for a quick scrub down this is a firm fave! Sometimes I have quite a bumpy nose due to whiteheads, it's not cute at all, a quick scrub with this leaves me with baby smooth skin.  It's suitable for sensitive skin and smells INCREDIBLE, like zesty orange (the refreshing kind).

Revlon Photoready Eye Art (Lid, Line & Lash)

I was so excited to give this a try! I looooove shimmer, and don't listen to people that tell you shimmer is not for people over 30 - you don't need that negativity in your life ;) but seriously, don't turn into and old fartsy girl. Rules are meant to be broken, so....this products has 2 ends.  1 End is the shadow, which is creamy and has a slight shimmer to it.  It doesn't crease and is very pigmented, looks the same colour as in the tube.  The other end is the glitter, you can use this all over the creamy eyeshadow, as a liner or over another eyeshadow.  I wore the Fuchsia Flash on Sunday and paired it with MAC Sable in the crease, and it looks stunning!
* Sponsored Product *

Almay Longwear Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover Pads

My mom told me these are really great, so I tried it out myself and it works like a charm.  I use a pad on each eye and let it sit for a bit so the product seeps in, it has a oily texture and it comes with 80 pads. It removes makeup in a jiffy, so this is one of those products that will be a staple for me.
* Sponsored Product *

Revlon Photoready Kajal Eye Pencil

These pencils are buttery soft! It glides on, and it's so important to use pencils like these as they don't tug on the delicate eye area.  Plus, they smudge so easily which is what the sponge tip on the other side is for.  You van do a smokey eye on the top and make it a wearable daytime look by smudging it out.  I always do it with my bottom liner as I don't want harsh lines.  The grey colour called Matte Charcoal (btw these are totally matte no gloss!) is such a great alternative to black, it's not as harsh, and the green colour called Matte Marine will look fabulous on the bottom line paired with a brown/taupe/bronze/golden eyelid, this is the easiest way to incorporate colour in your makeup look.
* Sponsored Product *

Hope you find some new products to try out!

Have an amazing week!  We're off to Umhlanga this week for some beach time to catch the last bit of sun...so needless to say we'll be counting the days this week!

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Must Have Beauty Item *MAC Pro Longwear Concealer*

Hi Dolls,

Hope you had a fabulous weekend? I did my seasonal wardrobe change from summer to winter - that is such hard work right? Phewwww.  I store my clothes in those Vacu-Pac bags from Makro, it saves so much space, and then the rest of the clothes that I don't want anymore I've put in bags for a charity to collect.  I am officially ready for fall :-)

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer R269.00 

I never used to have under eye bags or circles, although I do get enough sleep, mine has become more prominent in recent years and I'm not sure what causes it.

To cover this and give me a fresh and wide eye look, I've tried so many Concealers but they've mostly failed to give me exactly what I want, but this one delivers 100%!

This concealer is full coverage, and I know some women with severe acne use it as a foundation.  My MAC shade is NW20, so I take the same concealer shade, however, the concealer is about a shade lighter than the foundation which I love as it's perfect to highlight the under eye area.  I do a v-shape and this is the only area I highlight on my face, I may slightly dab the excess product into the t-shape but nothing dramatic or obvious.

One pump is enough to cover the under eye, and I dab it in with a damp beauty blender.  It covers any imperfections completely!

I don't set my under eye concealer with powder, I've tried it various methods and with different powders, and it always ends up looking dry, cakey or as if the powder has removed concealer pigment - is anyone else the same cause I feel like people say they have to powder?  So I much prefer without powder.  My under eye area still creases a little bit, but nothing major or where it looks bad, the concealer dries relatively quickly and has a semi-matte finish.  It's just one of those things that we have to accept, no matter what the brand says, no concealer will ever be 100% creaseless, not even on 18 year old skin.

And the good thing about not setting your concealer, is that you can if you want, lightly pat the creases during the day to smoothen it out, but honestly I don't even bother with it.

This is by far the best concealer I've used, it lasts a couple of months so is absolutely worth the price tag (and remember that MAC has their recycling program where you take 6 empty containers for a free lipstick of your choice).

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Fall Beauty Survival Kit

Hi Pretties,

I hope you're having a fab Easter weekend.

Just before fall arrives, I wanted to share my beauty favourites with you.  The cold weather can wreck havoc not only on your skin and hair, but also on your mood right?  Unless you're me that loves cold weather ;) -- The only product I didn't photograph that is a must have is the Garnier Moisture Rescue for Dry Skin (it's a pink bottle), my skin gets extremely dry and flaky, and this moisturizer works like a charm (oh by the way I forgot to pick it up recently and wanted to get this post up, sorry)!

1.  Glamour Magazine

Nothing beats reading a magazine with a cuppa on a cold morning, it's one of my favourite things to do and the heat is instantly turned on with the gorgeous Jennifer Aniston on the cover! 

2.  1D Cheek Tint in Coral Cutie - R43.95

I know you're giving me the look, it's okay lol, but no I'm not a 1D fan whatsoever although I do love some of their catchy tunes.  I've totally been into dewy skin, and was looking for a creamy blusher in Clicks, there's not really a lot to pick from so when I saw the stand for 1D I had to have a squizz, and this coral peachy colour instantly got my attention.  And what does it look like?  It's a really pretty colour, it goes with any look, whether you have a dramatic eye or simple one.  The blush is quite pigmented, it's creamy and blends out very well, I just dab it on with my fingers, there's no shimmer in it and it dries within a minute or two and lasts throughout the day.  Very impressed with it so job well done lads!

3.  Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub - R95.00

I have dry lips throughout the year, but in winter it's so much worse.  There's no point piling on lip balms if you don't get rid of the dead skin cells, and a good 'ol scrub is a must, especially if you're daring and going for a dark lip during winter.  DIY lip scrubs work just as well, but this Lush one is just amazing!  It smells divine, you just dab on a bit, scrub a dub and then you can lick it off or wipe away, depending how bad your OCD is ;) and you'll have smooth and nice smelling lips for the rest of the day.

4.  Placecol Gentle Exfoliating Treatment Safe AHA Exfoliant Weekly Booster - R320.00 **Sponsored Product**

I've been a fan of Placecol for years and have done many reviews on this brand, it's one of those brands that you know works, and is affordable.  An exfoliant for your skin is so important and if you'd like to have a smooth skin all year round, it is recommended that you exfoliate 1 - 2 times a week.  This product doesn't only help keep your skin smooth, but it reduces fine lines and wrinkles
and is moisturizing. What is an AHA exfoliant? 

"AHAs are preferred for sun-damaged and dry skin because they exfoliate on the surface of skin and have the added benefit of also improving moisture content."Paula's Choice

5. Clicks Hair Rescue Soothe & Nourish Extra Strength Silicon Serum - Price Not Available

Hair takes such a beating with all the heat and things we put on it, and one of the things I never go without is a good serum. Up until recently I used the Jean Pepe serum, which in my opinion is the best, but since it's finished I opted to try this one out. It works really well, not as good as the Jean Pepe but it's a great drugstore alternative.

6. Oh So Heavenly Cool Comfort Lavender Talc - Price Not Available
I love body powders, especially at night once I've had a bath, I literally shower myself in powder instead of wearing perfume to bed. This powder smells so nice, it's very calming and perfect for nighttime, and it helps keeps you fresh and dry throughout the night. Imagine the delight wearing this with your fluffy pj's (yes please).

7.  The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter - R150.00

Oh my goodness, this body butter smells so cosy and delicious.  Body butters is a must during the colder months and I tend to steer away from fruity smelling ones as they're too summery for me.  What I enjoy about these ones is that they are really nourishing to your skin, but soaks in within minutes and leaves no layer on your skin.

8 & 9.  Essence Colour & Go in be berry now! R24.95 and Essie in Size Matters R120.00

These colours are my go to's for this winter, I definitely stick with darker colours, and the previous winter I enjoyed wearing bright red and blue.  But this winter I'm leaning towards these types of colours, and I can't wait to pop it onto my nails.  They're quite similar in tone, but the Essence one is more purple and the Essie one is more red.  Both are so pretty though and are brands that I love as they're both long lasting and pigmented.

10.  Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturizing Body Oil

Okay, I have to admit, the one part of my beauty regime that I absolutely don't enjoy, is slathering on body moisturizer!  I hate that part, I don't know why but it feels like such a chore haha.  So this nifty little beauty is perfect for lazy girls like me.  There's several ways you can use this.  Just pop a bit into your bath water, then instead of rubbing yourself dry, gently pat the towel into your body and you'll be left with a light layer of this oil, voila - super easy!  I've also used this on my face, it smells just like chocolate and I got no breakouts from this.  I've also used it on my hair as an all over treatment (it works great if you get dry scalp like I do), this truly is a multi-functional product.

11.  Lush Karma Bubble - R38.50

No beauty survival post will be complete without a Lush product.  Now can I just say, this one smells freakin amazing!  I had a little bag with all of these products ready to type up my post, and the whole bag smells of spicey oranges!  Yum!  It also looks really pretty and will surely brighten up any winters day.

12.  The Body Shop Solid Oil Lips - Argan Oil Lip Tin - R60.00

After scrubbing with your lush scrub, pop this lip balm on, especially at night before going to bed and in the morning, and you'll have soft baby lips throughout the year.  Oh, this also smells really nice, and feels buttery on the lips.

13 & 14.  Essence Longlasting Lipstick in Oh So Matt! R44.50 and Essence XXXL Shing Lipgloss in True Love R34.95

I'd say a nice nude and a darker shade lip product will complete any outfit during winter.  Although I love my MAC lippies, Essence has always been a drugstore dupe.  Really, if you haven't given their lippies a try do so!  The nude lipstick isn't deathly nude, I actually think if you're after a Kylie Jenner lip, pair it with a lipliner similar to MAC Spice.  I quite like matte lips in winter, as well as darker lips, however, I don't have nearly enough confidence to pull off a matte dark lip, although I think it looks so beautiful with all the jewel toned clothes that are in.  So a good alternative if you're anything like me, is to go for a gloss.  That way you can choose a desired pigmentation that you're comfy with.  This lipgloss is a stunning brown red with a blue undertone, so it will make your teeth appear nice and bright.  And of course you can mix the lipstick and lipgloss as they both will go together like toast and tea!

I hope you enjoyed my list of beauty must-haves to feel gorgeous and pretty even during the colder months.

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The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer aka "The Luminizer" {Review & Swatches}

Hi Dolls,

I hope you're having a fabulous & blessed weekend so far?  We had an awesome church service this morning, a Sunday well spent brings a week of content right, yes preach it sister ;) lol.

Not only have I seen this beaut featured by huge youtube makeup gurus, but I love the brand philosophy (cruelty free yayy) and history:

"theBalm cosmetics boasts a complete line of makeup, skin care, hair care and nail polish. With a "beauty in five minutes" philosophy, theBalm's multi-use, mega fabulous products have become its calling card, offering quick fixes and wondrous solutions for a wide range of beauty wants and needs. The company's wearable colors and fantastic formulas allow women to release their inner artist so they can look and feel fabulous. In 2004, Marissa Shipman, founder of theBalm, realized there were a few simple products she needed to help her look and feel glam all the time-and if she needed them, other women did too... Marissa decided to indulge her cosmetic curiosities and went to Amazon where she bought 11 books on how to make makeup and started mixing in her kitchen. "I went makeup crazy. I incorporated the company, worked out a budget, hired a chemist and designed a website." She began integrating anti-aging ingredients, triple-milled pigments, fabulous scents...and theBalm was born. Fast forward ten years, you can now find theBalm's Paraben and Cruelty-Free products worldwide."

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer available from Retailbox SA - R385.00

I absolutely adore the retro vibe, the concept that this is a woman that has been jailed for basically being utterly fabulous is so cute and lovely!  It's obvious that a lot of creative thinking went into the design of the packaging, which is something I appreciate and shows how unique the brand is (have a look at the fingerprint detailing on the back), honestly, 10 out of 10.

You can feel that the container is made out of sturdy material, it comes with a clasp and a mirror (perfect for travelling or keeping in your handbag).  Now I've used MAC Soft & Gentle for years, and recently added Revlon Skin Illuminator as a highlighter, I love both of these but I'm always interested in trying out new ones (hellooo I am a blogger that's what I do hehe).  So when Luzanne from Pink Peonies blogged about Retailbox SA I had to have a squizz on their website as to the products they have, and needless to say I've always wanted to try out The Balm goodies and decided to purchase 2 of their products (the other one will be up very soon).  I was in a bit of tug and war as I didn't know if I should try out the Cindy Lou-Manizer or Mary-Lou Manizer, I think I ended up making the right decision as I love this one!

This is definitely a pretty product, at first glance you can see it has a lovely champagne colour, it's beautiful! There's no glitter in this, but instead has a luminous and golden glow/shimmer.It's buttery soft to the touch, has no fallout and is very pigmented.  

The only way for me to really describe this highlighter is to say that it is as beautiful as the morning sun!  

I use this with a fan brush I picked up from Dischem, and you only need to tap it into the product very lightly, then dust all over the highest points of your cheekbones to give you a glow that looks natural and pretty.  I also love using this as an all over eyelid colour, it almost gives the same look as Stila Kitten, although not an exact dupe it's pretty close, I'll wear it just like that for a natural look, or I'll smoke it out with other colours. This works really beautifully in your tear duct or on the brownbone and can be dusted on your collarbone ~ basically this is a multi-functional product.  Powder highlighters are the best for people with oily/normal or combination skin, however, if you have dry skin just make sure that you hydrate (primer and / or moisturizer) well before applying this to avoid patchiness.

I have to say that this and the Revlon illuminator is my favourite highlighters, I like MAC Soft & Gentle, but for my personal taste The Balm and Revlon is the bomb!

Love and Blessings <3

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Favourite Face Combo

Hi Pretties,

The weekend is here!  Whooppp!!

I wanted to share my favourite face combo - I'm kind of obsessed with these products, they're really lovely and gives me the perfect glowy and flawless skin {but not cakey}.

In 2012, I did a review on the just launched (at that time) Garnier BB cream which you can read here.  They then launched a BB cream for oily skin, up until then I wasn't a fan of BB creams, just because I found that they made my face very oily and provided very little, if any, coverage.  That is until I tried the new Garnier BB cream, which I absolutely LOVE!  Honestly, in my opinion it's more of a light to medium coverage foundation than a BB cream, it creates a lovely smooth finish, it doesn't dry completely matte on my skin, but gives it a dewy not an oily finish.  I use one normal layer all over my face, I prefer using this especially on areas where I have wrinkles such as my forehead, as it doesn't accentuate wrinkles as foundation does, so if you're struggling with that I do suggest trying out a BB cream instead.  I use a short stippling brush from MAC which I find works best with this, then pat any streaky areas with my Beauty Blender which I buy from The Spa Shop - their customer service is top notch btw.

Anyway, I then move onto foundation, I adore MAC studio fix fluid, I've used this for years and it's always been a firm favourite, and even when trying out different foundations it's been a security blanket which I so easily fall back into using.  I don't use the foundation all over my face, I use it more as a concealer, so I pat it with my beauty blender onto my cheeks, chin and around my nose.

I then apply the Revlon Photoready Skinlights in Bare Light on my cheekbones with my beauty blender, and pat the remaining product onto the other high points of my face.  This illuminator is one of the best ones I've used, it's basically the liquid version of MAC Soft and Gentle/The Balm Mary Lou-Manizer.  I also sometimes mix this with my foundation, or apply it all over my face before foundation, as it gives your skin such a healthy glow.

I do have sensitive and acne prone skin, and neither of these products break me out.

These products are must haves all year round, in winter when your skin start to look a bit dull or dry, grab these and I guarantee your skin will look fabulous and nourished.

Love <3

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Pamper Time: Lush Goodies

Hi Pretties,

Hope you're having a fab week so far?

Lush is a cult favourite amongst beauty enthusiasts, and after watching the 100th video of their products, I had to order some goodies.  Now I have to mention that I have a very particular taste when it comes to scents, basically it needs to smell sweet, I'm not a fan of natural or organic type scents (normally).

Needless to say, when I got my box of goodies which I ordered before Christmas, I couldn't wait to give them a sniff.  I ordered some of the Christmas ones, the Santa and another one, those were the first 2 products I tried.  And to say I was disappointed was a bit of an understatement.  I really didn't get the fuss, to be honest I felt like I paid R50 for coloured water, and I really didn't care for the fragrance of them either.

Anyway, I wasn't going to waste the other ones I ordered, and the next one was the Candy Mountain - and this absolutely restored my hopes in the Lush brand.  It was everything I had hoped for, it smelled incredible.  So although I had a bit of a shaky start, I've now realized that it's just a matter of trying until you find the ones you really like (almost like dating you know lol).

Honey Bee Ballistic R42.50

I'm not the best at describing scents, the best I can do is tell you that it smells wonderful and sweet, so I'll give you my best copy and paste directly from the Lush website:

"For a soothing, cleansing soak. Honey Bee smells like caramel, much like Honey, I Washed The Kids soap and Soft Coeur massage bar do. Honey Bee holds its own special distinction, though; in addition to soothing honey, it has Moroccan rhassoul mud to deep cleanse and soften your skin. The world’s best spas offer honey or mud baths on their menus. Now, you can have both in one go, for roughly 1% of the cost." 

Think Pink Ballistic R32.50

"The Think Pink Ballistic is back with a slimmer figure. We’ve made it smaller, but this hot pink bomb is still fragranced with tonka bean’s edgy aroma and the sweetness of vanilla absolute. It’s sweet, but not overbearingly so, with a subtle bite that will remind you of pink bon-bons. We highly recommend you spoil yourself with our gloriously indulgent, rather sophisticated surfeit of pinkness."

Phoenix Ballistic R45.50

How pretty is this ballistic?  

"All the myth and magic of a Phoenix pressed into one bath time experience, which lets you arise at the end feeling refreshed and ready for the next 500 years. One of Lush’s patented double layer bath ballistics, your Phoenix will sink to the bottom then rise in triumph, his mythical sparkling purple and green plumage unfurling through your bath water.  He’ll release gentle shea butter, cocoa butter and jojoba oil to leave your skin feather soft, and exotic essential oils of fruit and spices, which take your mind on a flight of fancy to distant shores where you are lying on a beach drinking ..."

Soaking in a lush bath is now a part of my weekly pamper routine.  Just taking 15 minutes or so to inhale the mixture of carefully mixed spices and scents, is a must have!  And I feel kind of bad that we had a shaky start, but I'm sure this is going to be a romance that lasts much longer than KimK's 2nd or 3rd marriage ;) hehe.

Which lush product is your favourite?

Love,

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Review & Swatches: L.A. Girl Beauty Brick Nudes Eyeshadow Collection

Hi Pretties,

I hope you're doing well?

I've heard about this palette quite some time ago on You Tube, and was so excited to see it's launch recently at Dischem stores.  If you're not familiar with the L.A. Girl brand, it's a really affordable drugstore brand and their HD concealer is a dupe for MAC Pro-Longwear concealer - tried and tested by me - for a fraction of the price.  Imagine my delight when I got my hands on this, especially as it's rumored to be a dupe for Urban Decay Naked 3, I cannot vouch for this as I don't own the UD3 palette so cannot do a comparison (and if you live in South Africa you know the struggle to get a hold of some of these brands).

Unfortunately I didn't keep the receipt but this palette was less than R100.00

Let me start with the packaging first.  I don't mind the look of it when it's closed, it doesn't look like an expensive product but it's okay, although I really don't like the creamy/beige block of colour.  Unfortunately once you open it, it looks cheap.  The eye shadow holder which is in that awful colour, seems to be made of plastic, but I have to say that it feels quite sturdy and I like that the palette has a magnetized closure.  

Onto the eye shadows, these colours are absolutely gorgeous!  You can see that there's a big difference to what they look like in the pan to the swatches.  I've been loving the glowy look recently, I've always steered well clear of it as I thought it wouldn't suit my oily t-zone, but I've found that with blotting once during the day I don't look like an oily mess but instead just has a stunning glow.  These eye shadows are perfect for this type of look, in my opinion anyway, the rose-gold shades are absolutely beautiful!

There are 12 shadows, 3 matte (and I'm so glad they have a matte creamy white shade), and 9 shimmer ones.  It also comes with an eye shadow brush (small) with a sponge tip applicator on the other side.

It's quite hard to give you my favorites because these doesn't have any names on them (crikey), but I love the 2 other matte shades which I sometimes mix, and it's the perfect crease colour.  Although these shadows look like they might give you some fallout, I've not experienced any more fallout than I do with my Stila In The Light palette, and they're very soft and buttery to the touch.  I've tried these shadows as is, and then I've tried them with MAC Fix+, which I normally use with an eyelid colour just to intensify it.  The difference between the two methods are really subtle and in my opinion not really needed.

The quality of the shadows itself, is really good, and you wouldn't expect it judging by the packaging.  

I really love this palette, I probably use it at least twice a week, it's just an easy one to grab to create something pretty.  If you can still get your hands on it go for it!  I know that these sold out almost immediately in my area.

I've recently done a DIY Z-Palette project, and I'll share it with you very soon.

Hope you have a FABULOUS and BLESSED day!

Love <3

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Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover vs Double Wear Stay in Place Foundation

Hi Ladies,

I hope you had a stunning weekend, it seems like we might be in for another rainy day today.  This week is quite busy and hectic as my cousin is getting married on Saturday and I'm the MOH, I'm very excited, I just love weddings and get to see family members we don't see often.  The only sad thing is that my husband and I had tickets to see 30 Seconds to Mars in July, and they postponed it until Friday night (our luck), so now he'll see the concert with my brother.  Oh well, that's life right.

If you had to ask me what makeup product is the most important - I'd have to say foundation.  All the other things are the bells and whistles to a look, but if you don't get your foundation right it's just not going to look good.  So today I have a battle between two Estee Lauder foundations:

If there is one product worth investing in, that is unless you have really great skin, that is foundation.  I'm all about bargain shopping, I love luxury products as much as I do affordable ones, and my two favorite brands for foundations are Estee Lauder and MAC.  Both of these shades will suit you if you're MAC NW20.

The Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover has a mousse type texture, it's really thick and has a matte finish.  It dries incredibly fast and you have to do section by section.  Because of the texture and dryness I prefer applying this with a damp beauty blender, which helps to spread it evenly and gives it more of a dewy finish.  This foundation is absolutely perfect if you have tattoos, birth marks or scars that you need to cover.  I'd highly suggest this foundation for oily / combination skin, if you have dry skin make sure you moisture, moisture, moisture ... and do use a great primer such as the Oh So Heavenly Miracle Blur Primer which gives you a smooth canvas to work on and has illuminating particles which gives your skin a dewy look.

I like this foundation for the coverage it gives, if you have problem skin like mine with acne scarring and so on, this would definitely get rid of any uneven skin tone and pigmentation, it also lasts forever on your skin. What I don't like about it?  It will show any skin problems you have such as enlarged pores and dry areas.  

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place apart from MAC Studio Fix Fluid is my holy grail foundation.  I love it!  It's way more forgiving than the Double Wear Maximum Cover, it's a liquid similar to Studio Fix Fluid, and gives medium coverage that is build able to full coverage.  It dries semi-matte and lasts all day. 

I really like the coverage and finish of this foundation, it looks beautiful and flawless, and quite frankly the quality is exceptional, from packaging to product.  I'd say the only thing I don't like is the price tag, but I can live with it because it is amazing!

The winner of this battle is the Double Wear Stay in Place, however, I do like the Double Wear Maximum foundation too, so I definitely like having both of these in my beauty cabinet, what I do for nights out or special occasions is to wear the Double Wear Stay in Place all over, and then dab the Double Wear Maximum foundation on the areas that need more coverage such as my cheeks and any areas where I have acne/breakouts.  So I basically use it as a concealer and I love the overall look and finish with both of these combined.  

Just as a side note, these foundations have lasted me ages!  Granted I do wear MAC as well, but I bought the Double Wear Maximum Cover in January and it is only finished now, the Double Wear Stay in Place I got in March and I still have a bit left, so although it's pricey it lasts forever (almost).

Love,

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