LUSH Christmas; Reusable Gift Wrapping (Knot Wraps)!!!

No one does christmas quite like Lush, the sparkly bath bombs, snowmans, peeping santa bubble bars and sparkly shower jellys. Not to talk about the smells, it's an explosion of christmas in a store. What got me most this year though were the Knot Wraps, did you know last year we used enough wrapping paper to go around the world 9 times, shocking right?! So Lush came up with the idea of tying your loved ones presents up in reusable gift wrapping in the form of beautiful scarves, some which are made of organic cotton and others are made from recycled plasctic bottles, yes you read that right each scarf is made up of 2 plastic bottles.

TheFoundationDirectory; Lush Knot Wraps

The idea is based on a traditional wrapping cloth called Furoshiki, used in Japan to wrap everything from gifts to groceries. All you have to do is visit your lush store, pick your chosen items for your loved one and the design of the Knot Wrap that most takes your fancy, and a member of staff will wrap them very creativily for you. You can also buy online, and and watch the video for various ways to tie your knot wrap, whic one are you going to try?! The Handbag, The Bottle Wrap or the Plaited Handle to name a few. Your loved one gets a little bit of christmas happiness from lush, as well as a Knot Wrap that they can treasure and use over and over again, with the added bonus that your also helping the environment. And at only £4.50 each, what's not to love?!



ThefoundationDirectory; Lush Winter Wonderland Christmas Gifting


If this is all a bit too fussy for you, or you want a bigger selection of items for your loved one, don't forget Lush will still have there usual Christmas Gift Sets that come beautifully pre-packaged. Like the Winter Wonderland gift above, it contains 20 of Lush's most popular bath bombs, bubble bars and bath melts for £82.95.

You can find the items here. Do you know what your choice will be this year? Knot Wrap, Gift set or both?!



Trilogy Makeup Be Gone Cleansing Balm!!!

My first foray into the Trilogy brand was through their Rosehip oil Antioxidant+ Facial Oil in 2013. Rosehip Oil is the brands signature ingredient, after New Zealand based sisters and founders of the brand discovered how potent it was, and this is supported by independent clinical studies for the reduction of scars, stretch marks and wrinkles. They wanted to develop a brand that was truly natural and organic, and prove that using natural skincare doesn't mean you have to sacrifice on performance and results. Since it's launch in 2002 the brand has expanded it's skincare range, and one of the more recent additions is the Makeup Be Gone Cleansing Balm*, accompanied by a sustainably produced, organic cotton, unbleached face cloth (of course).

TheFoundationDirectory; Trilogy Makeup Be Gone Cleansing Balm

Cleansing balms are such a staple in my skincare routine, I can no longer remember a time when I wasn't slathering a balm over my face, it's one of the items I will always have in my skincare arsenal. This balm combines a blend of rich plant oils, including Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Mango Seed Butter and Rosehip Seed Oil to name a few. It's been formulated to remove even long-wearing and waterproof formulations of makeup, including foundation, mascara and lipstick. I usually use a micellar solution, wipe and/or eyemakeup remover prior to the use of a balm, but I did put this through it's paces on a full face of makeup. I applied it to my dry made up face, massaged and remove with the included organic cotton face cloth and warm water.

TheFoundationDirectory; Trilogy Makeup Be Gone Cleansing Balm

I have to say MakeUp Be Gone is the perfect name for this, you almost feel as if you can skip double cleansing, but I do then move on to my second cleanse. It leaves my skin clean but not stripped, and there's no residue. I honestly expected this to be more expensive, but it's £19.50 for 80ml and an organic cotton face cloth, if you are in the market for a truly natural and organic cleansing balm you can't go far wrong with this. 

 

You can find Trilogy products at an array of places now, including Trilogyproducts.com, boots.com and feelunique.com. Have you tried anything from the Trilogy brand?

*Pr Sample

 

The Bodyshop have Extended their Foundation Shade Range....Yippee!!!

Foundation Files; This is where I test out different base products, from concealer to powder, tinted moisturiser and foundation etc, over a period of 7-14 days and post my findings. (Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin so you don't miss a post) So let’s get started!!!

First off some information about me; Skintype: Combination (leaning dry in winter and Oily in Summer). Shade Reference: in between MAC NC45-50/NW43. Undertones: Yellow/Neutral.

FoundationDirectory; The Bodyshop Fresh Nude Foundation and Shade Adjusting Drops

Brand: Bodyshop
Name: Fresh Nude Foundation

Coverage: Light - Medium

Shade: Caribbean Mahogany 075

Swatch:

FoundationDirectory; Fresh Nude Foundation and Shade Adjusting Drops

What The brand says: OUR FIRST FRESH-FACED FOUNDATION FOR A GOOD SKIN DAY,EVERY DAY.

Enriched with hydrating rose water, skin is left beautifully moisturised for up to 24h and protected with SPF15. With a semi-matte finish, all our 16 shades mimic the look of fresh natural skin with a nude glow. And with shade names inspired by nature, choosing your foundation moves from daunting to a journey around the world. Our blend of high purity pigments fade out imperfections without the mask effect. Hydrating Rose Water and 100% Organic Aloe Vera quench skin whilst letting it breathe. 16 semi-matte shades that perfectly mimic the fresh natural skin tone of all complexions.

Wear time (with/without primer): This has great weartime even without a primer, I touch up once around lunchtime, mainly out of habit than necessity. By the end of the day my oils have pushed through slightly, but this gives me more of a glow than an oil slick look. I obviously cannot comment on how it will perform during the summer months, but my skin is still slightly more oily in the t-zone area, and this handles that very well. 

Price (ml): £15 for 30ml

Pros: SPF15
16 shades
Affordable
Extended shade range from the brand
Accompanying launch of shade adjusting drops
Comes in a pump bottle

Cons: Darker shade range needs extending

Suitable Skin Types: All

Ingredients: Aqua (Solvent), Diheptyl Succinate (Skin Conditioning Agent - Emollient), Cyclohexasiloxane (Conditioning Agent), Octocrylene (Ultraviolet Light Absorber), PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate (Emulsifying Agent), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (Ultraviolet Light Absorber), Silica (Absorbent), Cetyl Dimethicone (Emollient), Titanium Dioxide (Ultraviolet Light Absorber), Hydrogenated Polydecene (Skin Conditioning Agent), Magnesium Sulfate (Absorbent/Bulking Agent), Alcohol Denat. (Solvent), Glycerin (Humectant), Disteardimonium Hectorite (Stabiliser), Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil (Skin Conditioning Agent - Emollient), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Caprylyl Glycol (Skin Conditioning Agent), Ammonium C6-16 Perfluoroalkylethyl Phosphate (Surfactant - Emulsifying Agent), Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer (Film Former), Ethylhexylglycerin (Skin Conditioning Agent), Caprylhydroxamic Acid (Chelating Agent), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder (Skin Conditioning Agent - Humectant), p-Anisic Acid (pH Adjuster), Parfum (Fragrance Ingredient), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Sodium Hydroxide (pH Adjuster), Propylene Glycol (Humectant), Sodium Hyaluronate (Humectant), Rosa Alba Flower Extract (Skin Conditioning Agent - Emollient), BHT (Antioxidant), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Sorbic Acid (Preservative). [+/- CI 77891 (Colorant), CI 77492 (Colorant), CI 77491 (Colorant), CI 77499 (Colour)].

Oxidation: None at all

Any Other Information: This is obviously my first ever foundation from the Bodyshop, as they have never really catered for my skin tone until now. There are 16 shades in total, but probably only 3 that are brown girl friendly (Caribbean Mahoghany is second to the darkest in the range)although the addition of the shade adjusting drops (I will review these separately) means even greater flexibility in the shade range. The foundation is housed in a clear glass bottle, with a black plastic pump and lid.   

Conclusion: I really wanted to like this foundation, and I'm so happy to say that I do, it's a plus that this shade is a near perfect match for my skintone at the moment. It really does have a natural skin finish, I use about 1 and half pumps (building up coverage where it is needed), whilst covering most of my imperfections. It has that lit from within glow, which is great at this time of year and last well on the skin. It's so lightweight, and while we know skin doesn't actually breathe, it doesn't feel heavy or cakey.

*Rating: Love

*Ratings; Hate, dislike, Like, Lust, Love

My latest obsession with Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution Lipsticks

I know these are not new, but if you love a matte lip, but don't want the dryness that can often accompany them, then you have to check these out. These lipsticks have been designed to give the illusion of a fuller, lit from within pout, with the addition of 3D glowing pigments, not really sure what that is. Charlotte wanted the consumer to be able to create a fuller pout that often takes makeup artists quite a few products and techniques, including lighting trickery, powder and illuminators, in one swipe of a lipsticks. Now it's quite an oxymoron to have glow and matte in one product, I don't think these are particularly glowy, but they are definitely not a flat matte either.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick

What I love about these lipsticks is the pigmentation, the hydration and staying power. All made possible with the addition of Orchid extract, oils and waxes that help to soften, protect, hydrate as well as give the lipsticks there creamy formula that literally glides on to your lips. There are 10 shades in total (with a new one on the horizon, launching in February), of which I have 4, and still lusting after Birkin Brown and Glastonberry.

 

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick and Lip Cheat Lip Liner Swatches

In the order they appear above; Love Liberty is a deep plum shade (can sometimes photograph and pull a little red). Red Carpet Red is a true blue toned bright red, Very Victoria is a pale taupey mauve nude shade and Bond girl is a deeper mauve pinky brown shade. And swatched above these is the Foxy Brown Lip Cheat lip liner, a neutral toned brown.

 

I love the unusual square shaped bullet, this makes getting a precise lipline so easy, with or without lip liner. I mainly use Foxy Brown lip liner with the shade Very Victoria, although it's not needed as the shade will still work on me alone, but may be necessary depending on your skintone.

 

The lipsticks cost £23 each and can be found here and here.  

 

Have you tried any of these lipsticks?

Penhaligons; Fragrances for the Eccentric!!!

I have to say this is my first foray into the luxury fragrance brand that is Penhaligons, established in the 1800's, they understand the emotive power of scents and how it can unlock memories. They strive to create original scents for the discerning eccentrics of today, and as I like to think I'm a little left of centre, I think this might be the beginning of a long long affair with the brand. They have created 2 new (male and female) fragrances to reflect the smells of the British Coast.

Penhaligons Blasted Health and Blasted Bloom

First up is *Blasted Heath (Male), it's scent is based on the smell of the ocean breaking against the shore, this is due to the top notes of Aquatic Accord, Seaweed Absolute and Clary Sage. It has heart notes of Green Leaves, Clearwood, Tobacco Absolute and Whiskey Accord, which adds a layer of earthiness and woodiness to the fragrance. And finally are the base notes of Patchouli Essence, Alaskan Cedarwood Essence, Gaiacwood Essence, Vetiver SFE and Musk, which is said to give it an assertive masculine character.

Penhaligons Blasted Heath and Blasted Bloom

Then we have *Blasted Bloom (Female), this is more focused on the freshness of the wild flowers found along the British Coast, merged with a little bit of earthiness. It has head notes of Wild berries, Aquatic Accord and Green Leaves. Heart notes of Eglantine Rose, Pink Pepper Co2 and Hawthorn. And finally Base notes of Alaskan Cedarwood Essence, Clearwood, Moss and Musk.

I am rubbish at describing fragrances, which is why I have stuck with the website descriptions, one thing I will say though is don't be restricted by the gender assignments, my favourite of the two is actually Blasted Heath. These fragrances aren't going to be everyone's cup of tea, but then would you expect anything less from a perfumer that prides itself on creating scents for the eccentrics?! At £124 for a 100ml bottle and £90 for 50ml, I suggest smell before you buy, they are Eau de Parfums however, and do last well on the skin. If you like the English conutryside or spent a lot of your holidays buy the sea, I reckcon at least one of these is going to take your fancy.

Have you tried anything from Penhaligons? You can find these here

*Pr Sample

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Miracle Eye Wand; 8 Hours sleep in 2 clicks???

Foundation Files; This is where I test out different base products, from concealer to powder, tinted moisturiser and foundation etc, over a period of 7-14 days and post my findings. (Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin so you don't miss a post) So let’s get started!!!
First off some information about me; Skintype: Combination (leaning dry in winter and Oily in Summer). Shade Reference: in between MAC NC45-50/NW43. Undertones: Yellow/Neutral.

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Miracle Eye Wand

Brand: Charlotte Tilbury

Name: Mini Miracle Eye Wand

Coverage: Light to Medium

Shade: 4 - described as a golden peach shade for tan to deep skin tones with warm undertones that works with Light Wonder Dark 10 and Magic Foundation Shades 9 and 9.5.

Swatch:

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Miracle Eye Wand Swatch

What The brand says: DYNAMIC DUO LIFT & LIGHT REFLECTOR; Five years in the making, my genius MINI MIRACLE EYE WAND is the antidote to tired, dull and exhausted under-eyes. It is the perfect 5 actions in 1 Miracle Wand for everyone – because the whole world is tired! When you are tired the colour drains from your face making you appear more sallow, grey with dark circles around your eyes. MINI MIRACLE EYE WAND creates the appearance of 8 hours sleep in two clicks by expertly covering dark circles and lines, smoothing out bags or hollows, brightening the eye contour and hydrating the skin’s surface for a dewy, luminous finish.

CLICK 1: The hydrating Eye Cream is enriched with specially-tailored under-eye agents that make the skin feel firmer and tauter.
CLICK 2: Inspired by photographer’s silver light reflector the light-weight ultra-brilliant light reflector is packed with “a million lights” micro-particles that brighten shadows, conceal discolouration and diffuse the appearance of under-eye hollows.

Wear time (with/without primer): This has great wear time, even if the rest of my face is a little shiny, I don't find that an issue under the eye where this is applied. But my under eye area is not oily, like my T-zone on my combination skin, this does not crease on me either (again not usually an issue for me anyway).

Price (ml): £29 for 3ml

Pros: Great for travel
Lightweight
None cakey
5 shades
Eye cream contains; Shea Butter extract, Jojoba oil, Olive oil, Sweet Almond oil, Hyaluronic acid to name a few.

Cons: Expensive for a small amount of product
Darker end of shade range could be extended
Does contain some alcohol in the eye cream, although a little further down the list
Eye brightener contains talc and silicone

Suitable Skin Types: All

Ingredients: To be updated

Oxidation: None

Any Other Information: This shade is said to work with Light Wonder Dark 10 and Magic Foundation Shades 9 and 9.5, on the Charlotte Tilbury website, but I am shade 11 in Magic foundation and this shade works great for me. It's also nice that the eye cream contains

Conclusion: This works great in conjunction with the Magic Foundation and really does brighten the under eye and disguise bags. The eye cream feels really nice and soothing, I have applied this before and after applying foundation (prefer application before foundation), as I feel it can do the most being applied closer to the skin and prevents the applicator from getting dirty. The eye brightener gives light to medium coverage, if you need something heavy duty, you will need to apply this after your usual concealer.  I think the addition of the eye cream is great if you have really dry skin under your eyes, as you can apply the cream during the day without disrupting your make-up too much, and reintroduce moisture to the area. It loses points on the price point for the amount of product though, then again Charlotte Tilbury is a luxury brand.

*Rating: Lust

*Ratings; Hate, dislike, Like, Lust, Love

NYX Cosmetics; Conceal, Correct and Contour Palette!!!

Foundation Files; This is where I test out different base products, from concealer to powder, tinted moisturiser and foundation etc, over a period of 7-14 days and post my findings. (Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin so you don't miss a post) So let’s get started!!!

First off some information about me; Skintype: Combination (leaning dry in winter and Oily in Summer). Shade Reference: in between MAC NC45-50/NW43. Undertones: Yellow/Neutral.

Brand: NYX Cosmetics

Name: Conceal, Correct and Contour Palette

Coverage: Medium

Shade: Deep

Swatch:

NYX Cosmetics Conceal, Correct and Contour Palette swatch

What The brand says: Colour-match your skin with this perfecting and correcting palette to conceal correct or contour. With six shades to choose from in each set you can cover up problem spots, even-out imperfections and accentuate your best features in a flash. Use these buildable colours on their own or combine them to create the ideal tone.

Wear time (with/without primer): This has really good weartime, especially when worn on skin rather than over the top of foundation, it does require a touch-up or two thorughout the day to keep it looking it's best.

Price (ml): £10 for 1.5g

Pros: Affordable
Great for travel
3 palettes for different skintones

Cons: May not use all the shades in the palette

2 shade in the palette are very similar
Could use an extra palette for even darker skintones
Hard to get hold of in the UK

Suitable Skin Types: All

Ingredients: Will update soon

Oxidation: None

Any Other Information: Nyx have a pop up stand in Selfridges in London for about 6 weeks (Ending around mid November), some of the items are also available on selfridges.com, so if you've been meaning to get your hands on some Nyx products I wouldn't wait around.   

Conclusion: I really like this palette, it has all I need for colour correcting, concealing, highlighting and contouring in a palmsized travel friendly palette. I'm a little unsure of how to use the yellow shade, but I've been mixing it in with one of the lighter shades (which I use interchageably) to highlight with and that's worked well.

*Rating: Love

*Ratings; Hate, dislike, Like, Lust, Love

Studio Waterweight SPF30 Foundation; Is this the best foundation from MAC yet?!

Foundation Files; This is where I test out different base products, from concealer to powder, tinted moisturiser and foundation etc, over a period of 7-14 days and post my findings. (Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin so you don't miss a post) So let’s get started!!!

First off some information about me; Skintype: Combination (leaning dry in winter and Oily in Summer). Shade Reference: in between MAC NC45-50/NW43. Undertones: Yellow/Neutral.

Mac Studio Waterweight SPF30 Foundation

Brand: Mac

Name: Studio Waterweight SPF30 Foundation**

Coverage: Sheer - Medium

Shade: NW50 

Swatch:

Mac Studio Waterweight SPF30 Foundation Swatch

What The brand says: Introducing an innovative foundation that delivers colour in an ultra-fluid, elastic gel- serum formula. With a virtually weightless feel, this hydrating formula is extraordinarily comfortable, lasting for hours. With stay-true colour and sheer medium buildable coverage, it softly blurs imperfections such as pores and fine lines. The unique dropper provides you with a drop of perfection.

Wear time (with/without primer): This foundation has great wear time on my combination skin, I don't even need primer, it lasts all day without touch ups, if I'm going out after work then I'll touch up to keep my makeup going through the evening.

Price (ml): £25.50 for 30ml

Pros: Good shade range
Lightweight
Long lasting
Buildable coverage
SPF 30 with no flashback

Cons:

Suitable Skin Types: All

Ingredients: Will update soon

Oxidation: None

Any Other Information: Pipette style dropper applicator. It's not my shade and very red on me, but once I highlight it balances it out somewhat. Once I was done testing, I started mixing in a little Face & Body foundation in C7, which is a little light for me and it was a better match. This is a foundation I would definitely purchase in my actual shade as I like it that much.

Conclusion: I absolutely love this foundation and that says a lot coming from an anti-macaholic (is there a hashtag for that?! lol), it's so lightweight, the type of coverage I like and lasts really well on the skin, with a demi-matte finish. It can be applied with a brush or fingers, I apply 4 drops onto my buffing brush and buff into the skin, applying a couple extra drops to build coverage where needed.

*Rating: Love

*Ratings; Hate, dislike, Like, Lust, Love
**Pr Sample

Foundation Files; Becca Blotting Powder Perfector - Tinted

Foundation Files; This is where I test out different base products, from concealer to powder, tinted moisturiser and foundation etc, over a period of 7-14 days and post my findings. (Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin so you don't miss a post) So let’s get started!!!

First off some information about me; Skintype: Combination (leaning dry in winter and Oily in Summer). Shade Reference: in between MAC NC45-50/NW43. Undertones: Yellow/Neutral.

Becca Blotting Powder Perfector - Tinted

Brand: Becca

Name: Blotting Powder Perfector

Coverage: None

Shade: Tinted

Swatch:

Becca Blotting Powder Perfector - Tinted - Swatch

What The brand says: An oil-absorbing powder that mattifies skin and sets makeup for a long-lasting perfected soft focus look. This non-drying micro-fine powder controls shine without adding noticeable color or texture. Imperfections are softened while the appearance of pores are minimized for a velvet smooth finish. Use after foundation application to set makeup or alone for touch ups throughout the day.

Wear time (with/without primer): This has great wear time, once applied I don't need to reapply for a few hours, however I did find towards the end of the day more frequent reapplication was required to keep shine at bay.

Price (ml): £29 (10.8g)

Pros: Controls oil
Comes in a handy pouch

Cons: Would benefit from one extra shade being added to the line

Suitable Skin Types: Combination, Normal, Oily

Ingredients: MICA, SILICA, DIMETHICONE, OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRAISOSTEARATE, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE. MAY CONTAIN: CI 77492 (IRON OXIDE), CI 75470 (CARMINE), CI 77491 (IRON OXIDE)

Oxidation: None

Any Other Information: It comes with a powder puff, which I never used, it's housed in a mirrored compact, and the little zip up pouch and is a great addition.

Conclusion: Every summer the hunt for the perfect products to keep shine at bay is on, this year I found one such product, the Becca Blotting Powder Perfector. This comes in 2 shades, tinted and translucent, I picked this up from SpaceNK. I use this mainly to touch up throughout the day, I found that when used to set my base if I was a little too heavy handed it would initially make me appear a little ashy, but this doesn't happen during touch ups. it can also be used as a finishing powder, once setting powder has been applied to also prevent this.

This powder is great for absorbing oil, without getting cakey and heavy, as it has little to no coverage it hardly alters the colour of your original make up. However repeated application is required the longer you've had your makeup on, as the mattifying effects don't last as long, . I can see this product becoming a stable feature in my summer makeup, for keeping shine at bay.

*Rating: Lust

*Ratings; Hate, dislike, Like, Lust, Love

Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Foundation

Foundation Files; This is where I test out different base products, from concealer to powder, tinted moisturiser and foundation etc, over a period of 7-14 days and post my findings. (Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin so you don't miss a post) So let’s get started!!!

First off some information about me; Skintype: Combination (leaning dry in winter and Oily in Summer). Shade Reference: in between MAC NC45-50/NW43. Undertones: Yellow/Neutral.

Brand: Charlotte Tilbury

Name: Magic Foundation

Coverage: Medium - Full

Shade: 11 described as a deep bronze for Deep to Dark Skin Tones with Warm Golden Undertones

Swatch:

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation Swatches

What The brand says: Magic Foundation is a miracle in a bottle that transforms skin for all ages, skin tones and skin types. I have worked with laboratories for five years to create a “hyper-intelligent” formula that gives full-coverage yet feels completely weightless, with all the anti-ageing and protective benefits of a luxury skin cream. It conceals imperfections, glides on like a dream, and literally feels like a second skin. Whether your skin needs just a bit of perfecting, or you struggle with a frustrating issue like acne, melasma or rosacea, Magic Foundation will give you a perfect looking skin day, every day! Chose from 15 beautiful demi-matte shades to match every skin tone from Lily Cole to Lupita Nyongo. 

Magical Laricyl: A concentrated mushroom extract that firms skin. It instantly tightens pores whilst flooding the skin with moisture, for a comfortable, nourished yet flawless finish.
Genius Hyaluronic Filling Spheres: What makes Hyaluronic Acid so beneficial is its ability to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water. These “genius” spheres absorb into the skin and plump up wrinkles from within. In 1 hour skin looks smoother and firmer, plus more supple and youthful.
Super-Charged Vitamin C (VC-IP): Vitamin C is a well-known antioxidant that fights the damaging and ageing effects of free radicals. Magic Foundation is the first time this new super-charged Vitamin C has been used in a foundation. With consistent use, it helps skin build new collagen (essential for youthful elasticity), reduces the appearance of age spots by 75% in four months, and reduces the appearance of acne after 9 weeks.
Broad Spectrum SPF 15: Protects from damaging rays so skin can retain a healthy, youthful look.

Wear time (with/without primer): This has good wear time, but I do require a couple of touch-up on my combination skin without primer, a good mattifying primer will extend the wear and keep shine at bay for much longer. I can imagine on my skintype a mattifying primer would not be needed during the colder months.

Price (ml): £29.50 for 30ml

Pros: SPF15
Skincare benefits
Extended shade range
Comes with a pump
Gorgeous packaging
Lightweight
Non cakey

Cons: Needs more darker shades
Big jump between shades 11 and 12

Suitable Skin Types: All (extremely oily skins prep accordingly).

Ingredients: AQUA/WATER/EAU, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, CYCLOHEXASILOXANE, TALC, CETYL PEG/PPG-10/1 DIMETHICONE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (NANO), GLYCERIN, NYLON-12, HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER, ZINC OXIDE, ACRYLATES/DIMETHICONE COPOLYMER, PHENOXYETHANOL, BENZYL ALCOHOL, SODIUM CHLORIDE,MAGNESIUM SULFATE, HYDROGEN DIMETHICONE, SODIUM DEHYDROACETATE, ALUMINA, DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE, DEHYDROACETIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, BENZOIC ACID, DIMETHICONE, TETRASODIUM EDTA, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, ASCORBYL TETRAISOPALMITATE, PROPYLENE CARBONATE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, SILICA, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, FOMES OFFICINALIS (MUSHROOM) EXTRACT, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, [MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR (+/-): TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)].

Oxidation: Yes, it oxidises slightly after being on the skin for a minute or 2, if you produce a lot of oil it will also oxidise slightly as the day goes on.

Any Other Information: A new brush has been released, touted to work alongside this foundation, the Magic complexion Brush, which retails at £45. This brush was used on me at the counter, and while it was very soft, it did shed a bit and the MUA had to keep picking bits of bursh hair off my face. I just use a buffing brush.

Conclusion: As you can see from the swatches, shade 10 appears darker than shade 11 due to the very orange undertone, this is even too orange for me and I a little orange in my foundation. The MUA agreed that I probably needed a 10.5 for an exact match, but the undertones in 11 matched my neck and chest, while 10 made my face look darker than these areas. I don't agree with the shade description of 'deep bronze', but it definitely has a warm golden undertone.

This foundation is great for something that offers good coverage, it feels so lightweight on the skin and does not look heavy or cakey. Lets not get it twisted, it isn't magic (no foundation is), that's just marketing, but I admire Charlotte Tilbury's passion. You can pick up Magic Foundation here and here.

*Rating: Lust

*Ratings; Hate, dislike, Like, Lust, Love

Psychology Sunday; What is Anxiety???

I've always wanted to combine my training/day job and love of all things beauty on my blog. I came up with the idea of TheFoundationDirectory's Psychology Sunday, where I periodically write posts about mental health related issues. 

TheFoundationDirectory Psychology Sunday; What is Anxiety?

For abit of background and context I work in mental health and have done for over 11 years now, I originally qualified as a Occupational Therapist in 2004 and then went on to complete postgraduate studies in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in 2010. I will be adapting these posts as I go along, and initially they won't be weekly.

I would first like to say we all have mental health (just like we have physical health) and from time to time we require treatment and/or support to deal with difficulties with our health, be that through medication or Therapy. Part of my reason for doing this is to breakdown the stigma and encourage more people to talk about mental health and some issues they may encounter with it.





I thought I'd start with Anxiety, one of the most common mental health concerns.
 
What is Anxiety?; it's a normal phenomena that presents itself physically that we will all experience from time to time in our life. It becomes a disorder when it starts to impact on your day-to-day function or peaks to an uncontrollable level during a specific situation e.g. phobias. For some people it can mean constant and unnecessary worry about any and all aspects of daily life or future events that may or may not even occur. There are many different types of anxiety disorders; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Mixed Anxiety and Depression (MAD), Panic Disorder and Phobias to name a few. (I will go into detail about each one as this series evolves).

Symptoms: As I said for most the symptoms of Anxiety present themselves physically, for example shaking, breathlessness, increased heart rate, restlessness, sleep problems, upset stomach, tension, poor apetite, panic attacks, headaches and obviously constant worry etc. You may experience some or all of these, and you may worry about things that haven't happened or are unlikely to happen or no amount of planning or preparation could prevent from happening e.g. a natural disaster etc.

Treatment Options: There are many treatment options for Anxiety, and the best option for you may depend on the type of anxiety you suffer with, but CBT is effective at treating most types and is usually easy to access through a GP or self referral depending on where you live. One of the things to mindful of is 'self-medication' e.g. alcohol to calm nerves, drugs etc, these can sometimes just create dependency and do not address the issues causing the anxiety.

One of the things to note is you're not alone, like I said Anxiety is one of the most common, and even if you're not aware you probably know someone who suffers from it. If you are concerned about this or any other mental health issue, please see your GP, there is treatment out there that can help you feel better.

Please comment below and let me know what you think of this post/idea, or contact me on social media also let me know what other posts you would like to see.
Thanks

Alex

GELTOUCH LED Topcoat

As someone who perpetually struggles to get more than 3 days chip free wear out of nail polish, I was intrigued when offered the chance to try an LED Topcoat at a recent Debenhams Press Day. I had heard of DIY gel manicures before, but was intrigued because this one was different to the ones I was aware of. GelTouch LED Topcoat can be applied over ANY nail polish and gives up to 10 days chip free wear and is easy to remove, by buffing, soaking or peeling off.

GelTouch LED Topcoat Starter Kit



I was given the opportuinity to try this for myself at home, I received the GelTouch Starter Kit, which contains a cute compact LED lamp, the Gel Topcoat and some cleansing wipes. I started by applying my nail colour in the usual way, basecoat, 2 layers of colour and you have to let this completely dry before you can apply the top coat. Once the polish is dry I applied one layer of topcoat and cured this in the lamp for 60 seconds, cleaned off any sticky residue with the provided wipes and I was done. completely dry, shiny nails that should last up to 10 days, depending on how hard you are on your hands.

GelTouch Topcoat Starter Kit

I got about 5 days before a chip appeared, by the 6th day there was a little bit of tip wear, on the press day 2 coats of the Topcoat were applied, each layer cured for 60 seconds. So I think for future applications I will try this. I'm very happy with the GelTouch Topcoat, I like the fact that I can still use all of my many nail polishes and extend there wear in one very easy step, plus it's cheaper than getting gel nails done at the salon.

The Geltouch Starter Kit and the new Glitter Topcoats that launch for Chrsitmas will be available on Debenhams.com any day now. Have you tried any at home gel manicures?

DHC Resveratrol Range

I have long been a fan of DHC, their Mild Lotion is one of my favourite toners for hydrating the skin, and their Acerola range is great for evening out the skintone. We all know Japanese skincare is said to be ahead of the curve, so when I heard of the Resveratrol range I was excited to see what wonders DHC had in store.



DHC Resveratrol Skincare Range

Being a 30 plus blogger I'm fortunate that anti-ageing is not massively high up on my agenda, however I do want to preserve what I have for as long as possible, so I see skincare with anti-ageing benefits as a bonus. The Resveratrol Range contains Resveratrol (obviously), which is a polyphenol antioxidant found in the skin of red grapes, that helps to fight the visible signs of ageing. Resveratrol is also a phytoalexin, one of 600 microbial compounds produced by plants to protect them from adverse conditions, including UV rays, harsh conditions and climate. In lab studies, it has been shown to promote the Sirtuin “longevity” gene, I'm not sure how or whether this can be transferred to humans through topical application, but if anybody can get it to benefit the skin my money would be on a Japanese skincare brand. The range also has moisturising cereal extracts to help boost skin’s natural moisture barrier and bolster it's defences against environmental stresses.

First up is the Resveratrol lotion, to save on any confusion let me explain that DHC call their toners 'lotions', because they are so hydrating. This deeply hydrating Toner promotes smoother more resilient skin, it has a light scent, it's applied after cleansing with fingers or a cotton pad.

Next up is the Resveratrol Essence, this moisture promoting booster is a well known extra step in your skincare routine for Japanese women, and has slowly started to make it's way to the UK. This lightweight serum textured essence is applied after toner, but before moisturiser and gives an added layer of hydration to the skin. 

And the final product in this range is the Resveratrol Cream, an intensive 'age-defying' moisturiser, it cushions and seals all the moisture onto the skin. It's a very thick cream, but not greasy, I think this would be good for both day and night depending on your skin type.

Despite words like 'age-defying' I think anti-ageing skincare should be looked at as a way to preserve what you have and make small improvements to your skin, after all nothing will help you 'defy' your age other than genetics or surgical procedures. This range however is a good place to start, each item cost £43, so not the cheapest, but also not the most expensive when it comes to anti-ageing skincare.

Have you tried anything from DHC, you can find the Resveratrol range here?

GOSH Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks

Last week I attended the GOSH A/W15 Blogger event to see the product lanches for the new season. GOSH are launching new nail products (A Base Coat, Topcoat, Cuticle Oil and the Fast Dry Drops) as well as a new foundation, which is NOT brown girl friendly despite having 10 shades!!!



GOSH Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks
 

But I have to say the stand out product for me are these new Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks, there are 8 shades and I love every last one, in fact I've not stopped wearing these lipsticks since I got hold of them.


GOSH Velvet Touch Matte Lipstick

These drugstore, creamy, pigmented, none drying Matte Lipsticks are fab, which is probably a result of the added oils, vitamin E and a dash of hyaluronic acid. These are a steal at £6.99, seriously if you are a matte lipstick lover you have to get your hands on these (and I don't say that very often), you can find them here. 

GOSH Velvet Touch Matte Lipstick Swatches

Don't be fooled by the sheen in these swatches, they dry down to a matte finish, but not too drying, although do ensure your lips are well prepped. Are you a matte lipstick fan?

Testing

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Blog name change!!!

This is the blog formally known as Aallexxy, but is now TheFoundationDirectory, apologies for any confusion, but I've been contemplating a change for a while. I hope this makes things easier in the long run, and while it's still not my optimal name (my other ideas were already taken), I'm taking this leap and hope you will join me and/or continue to support me.

Thank you

Alex.

Deciem; Hylamide Multi-Depth Rehydration Booster

So my love for Deciem brands continue, see here, here, here and here. I think you get the picture, and it seems it hasn't gone unnoticed as the brand kindly sent me one of their five new Boosters.

Deciem; Hylamide Multi-Depth Rehydration Booster

This is a super strength hydration serum with 5 forms of hyaluronic acid with varying molecular weights to target rehydration at multiple levels. This booster has very low molecular and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, which is said to encouraged better absorption and therefore hydrate lower and middle levels of the skin. The hyaluronic acid ferment is purified from a non-animal source and is oil free, also hyaluronic pre-cursor's encourage hyaluronic production and visible plumping of the skin, while the tamarind derived plant hyaluronic acid aids with improving visible skin elasticity.

This booster is to be used once a day before your moisturiser, in conjunction with your usual skincare products, for short and long term below and above surface rehydration for plumped up hydrated skin. Dehydration is something any skintype can suffer from, this lightweight gel is absorded easily, with no sticky or tacky residue on the skin and a great addition to my skincare regimme.

With all these things consider you'd imagine this is where I state how expensive it is,but at £18 for a 30ml pipette style glass bottle and only a small amount needed once a day, I think this will last a good while too. There are 4 other boosters for one for sensitivity, a Glow Booster, Photography Foundation (Blurring primer) and C25 that targets pigmentation, the latter two are currently on my wishlist.

have you tried any of the boosters?

Aallexxy's Foundation Files; Make Up Forever Ultra HD Foundation

Foundation Files; This is where I test out different base products, from concealer to powder, tinted moisturiser and foundation etc, over a period of 7-14 days and post my findings. (Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin so you don't miss a post) So let’s get started!!!

First off some information about me; Skintype: Combination (leaning dry in winter and Oily in Summer). Shade Reference: in between MAC NC45-50/NW43. Undertones: Yellow/Neutral.



Make Up Forever Ultra HD Foundation

 Brand: Make Up Forever

Name: Ultra HD Foundation

Coverage: Medium - Full

Shade: R510 Coffee - 175 in regular formula

Swatch:

Make Up Forever Ultra HD Foundation Swatch

What The brand says: Created for the very latest high-definition technologies of the film and TV industry, ULTRA HD advanced formulas look invisible on 4K camera and to the naked eye. Perfect for the makeup pros and for you.

ULTRA HD foundation feels like a second skin, but still provides medium coverage, and the light-diffusing formula looks natural and makes skin look flawless and feel moisturized. Exclusive 4K Complex guarantees invisible, natural and comfortable makeup. The fluid texture blends in seamlessly and conceals imperfections to unify the skin’s texture. Great for all skin types, and features a full-range of shades to cover all skintones.

Wear time (with/without primer): This lasts well throughout the day, although touch ups are required in my oily areas even with a mattifying primer as a base. But for the rest of my face, it lasts really well with no touch ups.

Price (ml): £33.50 for 30ml (Price starts from £29, depending on where you purchase it)

Pros: 40 Shades

Cons: New numbering system can be confusing

Suitable Skin Types: All

Ingredients: Not on website (will update from packaging in due course)

Oxidation: None

Any Other Information: Shades that start with an R represent those with a red undertone, while those with a Y, yellow undertones. There are 4 groups representing your skintone 2 - Light, 3 - Medium, 4 - Tan and 5 - Dark, then the last 2 digits represent the shade, which go up in increments of 5. The ones that have a match in the original formula will also have these numbers on the bottom of the bottle, but there are 15 extra shades in this formulation, but some of the previous shades have been discontinued. You maybe wondering why I got R510 then, well the original shade 175 is described as having coral undertones and I like a good neutral toned foundation, it works, but I think come winter I'll need a different shade. (NB: I have not tried the original, which I belive is being discontiuned, so I cannot compare formula)

Conclusion: This is a really nice foundation, that covers well without looking cakey or heavy and has a great shade range. However with all the hype around the original formula I expected to be wowed and wasn't, that's not to say it's bad, possibly I had very high expectations. It is good for photographs and filming, reasonably priced, especially if you get it at the cheaper end of the price bracket.

*Rating: Like

*Ratings; Hate, dislike, Like, Lust, Love

Aallexxy's FoundationFiles; Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow

Foundation Files; This is where I test out different base products, from concealer to powder, tinted moisturiser and foundation etc, over a period of 7-14 days and post my findings. (Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin so you don't miss a post) So let’s get started!!!

First off some information about me; Skintype: Combination (leaning dry in winter and Oily in Summer). Shade Reference: in between MAC NC45-50/NW43. Undertones: Yellow/Neutral.

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow

Brand: Charlotte TIlbury

Name: Filmstar Bronze and Glow

Coverage/Pigmentation: Medium

Shade: Medium-Dark

Swatch:

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow Swatch

What The brand says: This is a secret that silver screen sirens have kept to themselves for years – and once I share it with you – so will you! With FILMSTAR BRONZE & GLOW you can slim, sculpt, shorten, trim and highlight your features. It’s amazing what clever shading and highlighting tricks can do to your facial framework - it’s an illusion that I use all the time, particularly for red carpet scrutiny, and my clients can’t get enough of it. Take what you were born with and maximise your assets with FILMSTAR BRONZE & GLOW!

 
This shade is perfect for medium to dark skin tones, or deep tans, to contour features and mimic a sun-kissed complexion.
• The bronzer is the perfect universal blend of pearl and pigment to contour features and mimic a sun-kissed complexion.
• The highlighter is built up from a golden base that flatters any skin tone, and uses Light Flex Technology to capture light and radiate it out for a luminous complexion.
• Colour-rich pigments are rolled into elastomer pearls that smooth & buff the skin for excellent blendability & perfect colour uniformity.
• Paraben-free

Wear time (with/without primer):

Price (ml): £49 for 16g

Pros: Gorgeous packaging
Highilight shade very flattering for darker skintones
Travel friendly

Cons: Contour/bronze shade is not dark enough for it's purpose

Contour shade is not matte
Pricey

Suitable Skin Types: All

Ingredients: Talc, Mica, Isononyl Isononanoate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Dimethicone, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Zinc Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Hexylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Tin Oxide, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)

Oxidation: N/A

Any Other Information: The sculpt shade in this palette has shimmer running through it and it's warm toned , however the shimmer is not that evident on the face, none the less if you prefer a matte cool toned contour this is not for you. I did not think I would like the highlight shade, as it looked too orangey gold for my liking, but on the skin it creates a gorgeous, glowy sheen, that I think would look even pretty the deeper your skintone is.

If you contour with a liquid/cream product and then apply this after, you obviously won't need it to be as deep, and this can help set your contour as well as add a subtle glow to your features. But as you can see from the swatch above, the contour/bronze shade is not very deep at all, it does create a very subtle shadow when applied to my face, but does not bronze my skin.

Conclusion: I'm a little frustrated that it's taken so long after the original was released to produce a darker shade and on top of that the shade is just barely deep enough for me to actually contour or bronze with. I also bought the Powder and Sculpt brush which is often referenced to be used with this, but in order to build up the colour on my face quickly I end up using an angled more densely packed brush, however the Charlotte Tilbury brush is perfect for the highlighting portion of the palette. I think those no darker than an NC48ish and/or Asian skintones may benefit from the sculpt shade if you like a very subtle contour/bronze, while the highlight shade is more suited to a variety of skintones.

Personally there are more affodable options that will do a better job on deeper skintones, however I cannot fault the feel of the powders and the packaging, also the highlight shade is gorgeous, for this it gets a like rating. But if I was to rate the shades in the palette seperately, the sculpt shade gets a dislike rating and the highlight shade would get a love rating, so I split the difference.

*Rating: Like

*Ratings; Hate, dislike, Like, Lust, Love