Weekly Beauty Tip #75: DIY Full coverage foundation

Can't find a good full coverage foundation? Or just need one in a pinch? Try mixing a full coverage concealer with some moisturizer then apply like foundation.

Weekly Beauty Tip #74: Invest in a good foundation

It is important to invest in a good foundation, rather than to buy what might be the cheapest (even though there are some great low priced foundations out there). Using a good foundation (remember to get one in the right shade and formula for your skin type) should keep your skin from breakouts and irritation while also making your skin (plus the overall makeup look) look better.

Elf liquid foundation review

Happy new year lovelies! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I apologize for the lack of posts lately, between the seasonal job I was working and the holidays I was super busy. I won't be posting a review of the December Glambag. Most of the products I haven't been able to try and I don't want to post something without full effort put into it. That being said, here is a review I've been meaning to post for a while.


Although I use a variety of foundations, liquid is my  favorite  and the type I use the most. So of course I tried Elf's.

The foundation comes in a pump bottle (please ignore the mess of my bottle), which I love. It's so much better than having to pour out the foundation and  hoping it doesn't spill everywhere. It is also more sanitary. The cap of this actually stays on, too (take some notes, elf face primer). The bottle is also pretty sturdy. The pump I have noticed can get stuck a little sometimes but it isn't really a problem, it does go back to normal.

There is a pretty good shade range but the colors are off and too dark. My go to foundation is Revlon Colorstay in Ivory, it is my perfect shade. For the Elf liquid foundation, I use their shade in porcelain (the lightest shade available), which isn't really porcelain at all. It is dark on me. It is also yellow undertoned which isn't ideal for a person with cool pink undertones like me. I don't use this foundation often, but I will use this from time to time, in the summer so that I look less pale. If I wear this in the winter, you can really tell that it is too dark. If your skin is more medium shaded, you will probably have an easier time with these foundations. But if you are as light skinned as me, you should probably skip this.

Here is a dot of the Elf foundation on my skin, unblended:

Here it is blended:

It is important to note that this foundation is oil free and it does contain SPF 15. SPF is very important and I really do like foundations that contain it, it saves me that extra step of applying sunscreen before my foundation.

It has a smooth consistency and has pretty good medium coverage. It isn't matte, it has a dewy finish. With primer it does last all day, but when I don't wear primer I will notice it beginning to wear off after a while.


Overall this is a good foundation especially for the price ($6) but it isn't my favorite nor the best. The formula is good, but the color choices not so much. I am not the only person that has complained of this, I hope someday Elf realizes this problem and makes some better shades.

Weekly Beauty Tip #40: Mix luminizer with your foundation

For a luminous and more dewy look, mix some luminizer with your liquid foundation.

Weekly Beauty Tip #27: Set foundation with translucent powder

If you find your foundation is rubbing off or your liquid foundation is looking shiny, set it with a translucent powder. Most women will set their liquid foundation or concealer with a powder foundation which can look cakey. Translucent powder is a sheer powder which will not add any color and if you use the right one it should blend into your skin and not look cakey.

I have mentioned using a translucent powder in a previous tip post, but I feel translucent powder deserves its own post. Many women have never heard of translucent powder and truthfully, I never had until I went to cosmetology school. Translucent powder can make a huge difference in your makeup. I use a liquid foundation and I will always set it with a translucent powder.

For a high end translucent powder I recommend using Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish powder.






For a cheaper alternative (which great quality) I recommend using E.L.F High Definition Powder. E.L.F's version is basically a dupe of the Make Up For Ever product. I personally use this all the time.

 

One last product I would like to point out that I have heard some really great things about is Laura Mercier's Invisible Loose Setting Powder.


    

I won an Urban Decay contest!

The title of this post says it all, I won an Urban Decay contest! Urban Decay's twitter ( https://twitter.com/UrbanDecay411 ) had a contest just before Christmas and I won it. I have always loved Urban Decay and now after receiving more of their products and dealing with their awesome customer service, I love them so much more.

This is my first of (surprise!) a few haul posts I've had planned. I'm not reviewing anything in this post, the reviews will come later.

For this contest I was able to pick 5 products of my choice. So I chose the Naked 2 palette ( I already had the Naked palette, but that's for another post), primer potion in Eden, 24/7 liner in Perversion (I had been dying to get this nearly as much as the naked palettes), the brow box in Brown Sugar, and naked skin foundation in .5.

As you can see the people at Urban Decay sent me a very nice note with everything and they sent me everything very fast.

Here are some closeups of the product. Just a heads up since I have good pictures of them already, I will probably use these same pictures when I post reviews of these products.

So there's my first haul post! I have been wanting to do one for so long! I do have a few more planned out that I will be posting sometime soon and I have SO many things to review so keep on the lookout for that!

Weekly Beauty Tip #22: Airbrushed looking foundation

To get an airbrushed look to your foundation, use a stipple brush or sponge with a liquid foundation. Apply the foundation using the brush/sponge with the stippling method.

The only way I apply my foundation is with a stipple brush. I used to use cosmetic wedges, but those went bye bye as soon as I got a stipple brush. I love how my foundation looks when I use a stipple brush, it looks airbrushed and flawless. My stippling brush is one of my favorite brushes.

The most important thing to have with stippling other than foundation is a stippling brush or sponge.  You need to have one of these in order to stipple correctly. I recommend using ELF's Studio Stippling brush


or the Beauty Blender stippling sponge



If you don't want to shell out the money to get the Beauty Blender, there are dupes available.

Once you have the right tools you need your foundation. A liquid foundation will work best. Put the liquid foundation onto a palette (a pallet like a painter's pallet not like an eyeshadow pallet, I recommend using the shiny side of a CD or an itunes card. Make sure they are both very clean before using) then dip your sponge or brush into it.

Next comes the actual stippling. The stippling method is very easy, though it may sound confusing when explained. Simply take your stippling brush/sponge with the foundation on it and bounce it up and down all over your face. You can do it as many times as you like to get preferred coverage. This method will also help you apply your foundation evenly.

Lastly, after stippling you can buff the brush or sponge around your face in a circular motion to help blend it all in.

I recommend using a setting powder when you are finished, I always set my foundation. I recommend using a translucent powder such as Elf's High Definition powder
 


or Makeup For Ever's HD Microfinish Powder.

Weekly Beauty Tip #21: Make your own tinted moisturizer

Making your own tinted moisturizer is very easy and you can use products you already own. Simply mix your foundation with a moisturizer.