Foundations I am Loving

So I am a foundation trollop. I will admit it, I love me some good base. I probably have about nine foundations on the go. It can be drugstore or high end,however in order to make it into my foundation drawer,  it needs to satisfy my little list of criteria: perfect colour, goes on smoothly, doesn't sink into my pores and makes my skin look flawless. No big deal, right?

My current loves include:

• Koh Gen Do  Aqua Foundation
• Dior Skin Air Nude Serum
• YSL Fusion Ink
• Dior Airflash

I have fairly normal skin that can become dehydrated and now with the warmer months approaching my skin can be a little oily. While I haven't tested some of these in the humid summer months, there are others that just rock no matter.

Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation

This little bitch is expensive, we are talking $74 Cdn. Thank God for VIB sales. However, it goes on smoothly, gives me a healthy glow without making me look like an oil slick, contains great skin ingredients and is a perfect colour match.
The down side is its accessibility. It isn't found in Canada and the only way to purchase it, is through Sephora. Although Sephora delivers to Canada, you can't touch it and try your shade. I had to look at swatches and guess. If you live in the States, Koh Gen Do will provide you with samples.

Dior Skin Air Nude Serum

The texture and consistency is part of the new trend that you can find in YSL Infusion Ink. It is extremely liquid and thin but has good coverage. It is a demi matte and my freckles still show. It blends easily and doesn't sink into my pores. I like to use my primer water and my fingers to apply.


Dior Skin AirFlash

I haven't heard much about this aerosol spray foundation and I have had it for about 2 years now. I think it is one of the best foundations out there. Other than the lack of shades, this is kind of the perfect foundation. I always receive compliments when I wear it. I like to use a regular foundation brush and then apply it to the face. Please dear god do not spray it directly from the can to your face. Good way to get it in your hair and eye brows. At $50 Cdn it isn't cheap, but I am generally a pretentious foundation snob who is willing to spend the bucks on a great one.

YSL Fusion Ink

The applicator I can do without; however the formulation and colour I cannot. The texture is extremely similar to Armani Maestro, Dior Air Serum, Maybelline Dream. It goes on easily and I prefer to use my finger to spread and blend. The finish is demi- matte with a medium coverage. Unlike, the Dior foundations, YSL a number of colour except for those with very dark complexions. At $64 Cdn, I would hope companies would be more inclusive.

As you can see, I enjoy expensive foundation and willing to invest in good ones. I aim to have my skin at its best as nothing else will apply properly or look well if I don't.

VIB 15% 2015

Okay, so us makeup trollops know that in April and November Sephora has a sale. I'll take 15% off anytime. I didn't want to go nuts and I actually didn't buy that much. 

Kat Von D Chrysalis Palette - a colourful cool-toned palette. Soft, creamy and blends beautifully

Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation 113 - well worth its price tag. Gorgeous finish and long lasting

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops G20 - Love Love Love - put these in any lotion, serum or primer.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray - get that don't care, disheveled look with this sea salt spray. 

YSL Tint-in-Oil - Rose for You - light tint to the lips packed with moisture. 

Sephora Luster Matte Long Wear  Lip Colour - Nude Pink Luster - creamy and opaque

Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer light medium - full coverage and creaseless

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter - smells like summer and absorbs quickly into the skin

Too Faced Chocolate Soliel Bronzer and Better than Sex Mascara- mascara can go a bit clumpy if not careful, wet formulation but give long, sexy lashes. The bronzer is matte and blends beautifully with a gourmand scent

Brand Focus - Cover FX

#dropportunity

Cover FX started out in 2000, with products that were free of irritants, thus suitable for those with truly sensitive skin. Lee Graff, a co-founder and corrective makeup specialist working at Sunnybrook Hosptial, helped create a product that provides a wide range of colours that is full coverage, while still looking like skin.

In 2003, Cover FX launched in Shoppers Drug Mart. This is where I became involved with the brand in 2006. Beauty Boutiques allowed the public easy access to their Cover FX cream foundation, which helped those with vetilago, rosecea, acne scarring and other skin issues. From here, they expanded their line to include bronzers, blush, more foundations, lip products, primers (which is still one of the best serums/primers), powders, and brushes.  Honestly, their reputation, quality of product and vast colour selection made it a favourite among us makeup artists and our clients.  I have to say, when this company had schools, many of us clamored to go. Additionally, anytime I have freelanced for weddings, I have only used Natural FX as a foundation. It photographs beautifully while still providing coverage and allowing the skin to show through.

Finally, this little Canadian Company continued to grow and wound up in Sephora. It relaunched with new packaging and developed new products, but stayed true to its foundation and philosphy. Their primers are still amazing, as is their Natural FX foundation and illuminating setting powder.

As you can tell, I am a little biased and love this company.

My favourites:

Natural FX
Illuminating Setting Powder
Anti-Aging Primer (repackaged used to be their Serum/Primer)
Custom Cover Drops

You can find them at Shoppers Drug Mart
 www.coverfx.ca 

www.sephora.ca

GRWM: Smoky Eye Using Melt Dark Matter Stack

ColourPop - Taking Over

If you are into makeup as much as I am, you have heard of ColourPop. A cosmetics company that is building its reputation on affordable ($5.00 USD) and high end-feeling products. Additionally, it is savvy utilizing YouTube through collaborations with popular YouTube beauty personalities. Furthermore, the names are tongue in cheek (Get Lucky, Bull Chic,) the finishes and colours are bold and appeal to those with disposal income. Just to quickly add, the lippie stix have either matching or colour coordinating lip pencils. So if you have a black lipstick and are using your black eyeliner, you now can have a proper lip pencil.


Products:
Lippie Stix $5.00 usd (0.0357oz /1g) comparison: MAC lipsticks are 3g

• Matte
• glossy
• satin
• hyperglossy
• pearlized

Super Shock Eyeshadow + Pigments $5.00 usd (0.07oz)

• Metallic
• Matte
• Satin
• Ultra Metallic
• Pearlized
• Tie Dyed
• Pressed Pigment  

 Super Shock Cheek Blush $8.00 usd

• Matte
• Satin

I watch a lot of YouTube videos and unfortunately, as hard as I try, I do fall victim to hype and these are sooooooooo hyped online. Tentative, I purchased 5 items, two Lippie Stix - Cookie and Pitch and three Super Shock Eyeshadows - On the Rocks, La La, and 3.

The packaging is clean and white with holographic labeling with the lippie stix coming in a twist up stick and the shadows coming in a screw top pot. They also include a cute handwritten inspirational note, awwwww. Who cares, right? Let's move on to the product, which is what you want to know about. The eyeshadows are an interesting texture - kind of like Chanel's Illusion d'Ombre - in that it is a cream to powder formulation but then there is a bounce to ColourPop's shadows. They are best used with your fingers but can be easily blended with brushes.

Cookie - is a matte nude beige with peach undertones.
Application: smooth, easy and creamy.

Pitch - is a matte chocolate with warm undertones.
Application: smooth and creamy

On the Rocks -A warm bronze with pink and gold glitters. Metallic in finish with very little fall out.

La La - Metallic coppery brown with hints of pink. It's described as a "true rose gold". The pay off is intense with no creasing.

3 - A metallic cool bronze with silver glitter. Some fallout but no creasing.

Overall, the shadows, that I have tried, are fantastic. They blend well, do not crease and are intensely pigmented. The lipsticks are creamy and do not dry out the lips. Although, they say they are matte, there is some shine to them. I was so impressed I put in another order! They only issue is the shipping, the exchange rate and how they are mailed. Let me explain the latter, these little babies are fragile so packaging them in an envelope instead of a box as our neighbours to the south would receive them is perhaps taking a risk with the product, just sayin'.

Check out this company for awesome nudes, pinks, purples, dark, blacks, greens - you name it.
http://colourpop.com

Cheers,
xo Megs

P.S. I purchased more eyeshadows in Get Lucky, Fringe, Girly, So Quiche, Hammered and Smash. Also, more lipsticks in Bullchic, Skimpy, Creature, and Wet.

Marsala - Pantone 2015 Colour of the Year

Marsala  conjures the images of an earthy and full bodied wine. And according to Pantone, it is the new colour of the year. Past colours include last year's Radiant Orchid, 2013 Emerald,  2012 Tangerine Tango, 2011 Honeysuckle, and 2010 Turquoise.

The colour is beautiful and complimentary to many skin tones. Furthermore, to find a true Marsala is difficult -  images show wine, aubergines, burgundy, and brick red. However, this colour is more like a brown, plum, earthy deep rose - a "robust nude".  Personally, I love it for lips and cheeks. Eyeshadow might be a little more difficult, but it can be done. 

I decided to go through my own collection and surprisingly enough, I have quite a few items that will satisfy The Colour. They are not perfect but close enough.

Illamasqua :  Beg and Kiss blushes
Estee Lauder : Alluring Rose blush
MAC: Sea Me, Hear Me Blush
Tarte: Dazzled Blush
Make Up For Ever HD Cream Blush- 310 Rosewood
Bite Beauty: Musk Lipstick - medium brown, pink
MAC: Del Rio - deeper in colour, Amorous - medium plum/cranberry, Modesty- slightly pinky, Viva Glam III
Clarins: Earthy Pink

Other colours Sephora suggest:
Nars Blush - Outlaw
Kat Von D lipstick - Lolita
Urban Decay - Naked 3
Zoya - Marney

Cheers
xo Megs