Makeup Base

My Picks for the Best Base Makeup 2011

January 5, 2012

This post is inspired by some of my favorite bloggers who have done an extensive summary of the beauty products they loved the most in year 2011. I thought it was such a good idea to show you some of the amazing products that I came across last year (or years before..). As a beauty junkie I have way too many products to showcase so I will be breaking them into several posts, and today’s post is all about the best base makeup products that I have absolutely been in love with, and I am pretty sure my appreciation for them will be carried over to year 2012.

Unfortunately I haven’t had the time to review many products in this post yet, but I am sure they will appear sometime in the near future!

Best Makeup Primer: the award goes to By Terry Teint De Rose. The most luxurious primer I have ever used – the hydrating texture, the scent and the pink rosy color just blows me away every time I use it.

Best Illuminating Makeup Base: the award goes to Dior Radiant Base. It gives a “your glow but better” effect.

Best Tinted Moisturizer: the award goes to Sunday Riley Effortless Breathable Tinted Primer. One of their signature products. I was at Barneys shopping for Sunday Riley skincare, and I noticed there were so many (gorgeous) girls dropping by just to purchase this primer over a short time! So I had to have it and it is my holy grail makeup base now on a good skin day.

Best BB Cream: the award goes to Dr Jart Blemish Base BB Cream, love the hydrating yet lightweight liquid texture.

Best Liquid Foundation: the award goes to Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Firming Foundation (reviewed here). I don’t know one single person who doesn’t love this foundation?!

Runner up: Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation. This was my first high end foundation that I got it when I was in High School, and I was hooked on to it ever since. There is always a backup in my vanity drawer.

Best Compact Foundation/Powder: the award goes to Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder. My new discovery and this is THE most finely milled powder I have ever used!

Runner Up: La Prairie Cellular Treatment Powder Foundation (old packaging). A little goes a long way and it gives a flawless coverage.

Best Contouring Powder: the award goes to Suqqu Balancing Cheek in OSHAGECHA (the shade on the right). Provides a perfect subtle contouring that just blends in with my natural skin color.

Best Concealer: the award goes to Cle De Peau Concealer (have discussed in this post)

Best Under Eye Brightening Concealer: the award goes to YSL Touche Eclat (have discussed in this post)

Best Loose Powder: the award goes to La Mer Loose Powder. The most finely milled loose powder inthe market and gives a soft focus finish. This is my second tub and my first one lasted me a few years!

Runner Up: Cle de Peau Loose Powder. It has a slight pink tinge to it rather than totally translucent. Provides a brightening effect and a flawless finish.

If you haven’t read the 2011 picks by these beautiful bloggers yet, please do check them out.

Atelier Beauty’s 2011 Picks.

Delicate Hummingbird’s best picks for the foundations/powder/concealers 2011

Rouge Deluxe 2011 Loves and Thoughts

Miss Elaine-Nio Year 2011 Favorites, I am VERY sad to hear that she will no longer be blogging…

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Labels: BB Cream • BY TERRY • CHANTECAILLE • CLE DE PEAU • DIOR • FOUNDATION • Giorgio Armani • LA MER • Makeup Base • My Favorites • POWDER • Sunday Riley • SUQQU • Tom Ford • YSL

Becca Radiance Primer Review

July 13, 2011

I bought Becca Radiance Primer not long ago and it has quickly become my all time favorite radiance and illuminating primer. At the time I was purchasing I had a choice between the most raved Shimmering Perfector and the Radiance Primer which is a new product from Becca. As usual I like to go against the crowd…and took this baby home. I am so glad I did because it has surpassed my expectations.

What is it:

– It is an age defying illuminating primer that instantly diminishes signs of dull, uneven complexion with a luminous, dewy finish.

– It has a water based formulation that hydrates and boosts the vitality of the skin.

– Can be used underneath foundation or on its own. Suitable for all skin types.

– Made in Italy

– Paraben Free, Fragrance Free and Alcohol Free.

This primer has a subtle gold tinge to it. When you squeeze the product out, you can see tiny particles of gold shimmer.

What I love about it the most:

– Many primers are ivory or pink based, sometimes they can make my face look too white and oily in the photos . This primer blends into my skin seamlessly – I cannot detect that there is a layer of highlighter or shimmer on my face. It gives a nice glow-from-within effect.

– There really is no rule for applying makeup. Rather than using it underneath my foundation, I like to mix this product in with my foundation to achieve an all over radiant effect. The hydrating formulation also makes my foundation adhere to my skin even better.

– My favorite use of this product is that I like to apply, or more specifically pat this product into my skin on top of my foundation. It takes away the cakiness and thickness of foundation – instantly makes my skin look more lifted and gives a moist and dewy glow. In a way it reminds me of the Clarins Beauty balm but much better. I have no luck with the Clarins as it flakes on me horribly.

More pictures!

Slightly blended out

Applied Becca Radiance Primer on top of the foundation along my cheekbone. Again the effect is hard to capture by the camera – it always looks better in real life.

Becca Radiance Primer retails for $55 in Australia.

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Labels: BECCA • Makeup Base

Guerlain L’OR Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold

May 18, 2011

One of my dear readers has requested for a review of Guerlian L’OR Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold Makeup Base. I started using this product on and off since I came back from my holiday. It is the perfect time to test this product out because the weather has been so cold. As a result my skin is dryer than usual and needs some extra help to make my makeup look better.

Guerlain does some amazing makeup bases. The L’OR Radiance Concentrate has been around for the longest time of them all – it is almost a cult product as a makeup base.

Guerlain’s promise about this product:

It is a hydrating makeup base gel. The 24 carat gold has been fashioned into precious flakes using a unique time-honoured method, to integrate them magically into the gel. As though suspended in the air, the flakes sparkle to reveal their precious treasure: radiance. The complexion is immediately awakened, thanks to the formula’s extreme hydrating action.

My thoughts:

Love the packaging. It speaks luxury. It is packed in a sterdy heavy glass bottle, not plastic. The reflection of gold flakes makes the product look ultra luxurious.

I have mixed feelings about this product. To sum it up it is basically a soothing makeup gel that hydrates your skin and gives you a dewy complexion. It is definitely the most hydrating makeup base I have ever come across. When applied on the skin it does feel slightly tacky – I normally wait for a minute till the tackness wears off. This product allows the foundation to glide on like a dream – it saves you time from blending and the foundation sinks into your skin without a sign of cakiness or flakiness.

As for the radiance, the gold flakes dissolves with the gel into your skin. It gives a nice dewy finish without any shimmers, which is what I prefer anyway.

To give you a better idea, I am brave enough to show you my bare skin and the after effect! (*please excuse my freckles, large pores..)

What the camera can’t show is that my skin looks more hydrated and supple. The radiance on my skin is very subtle, because this product is so hydrating it plumps my skin up a little giving a dewy glow. But please note it will NOT give you an ultra luminous glow as some other shimmer products do.

Once I apply the foundation over, the radiance effect becomes less noticeable. It only makes your foundation sit better on your skin and keeps your foundation looking fresh (without oxidizing) for an extended period of time – about 8 hours indoors for me.

with foundation

Would I repurchase it: No for now.

Although it is a good all rounder makeup base and I love the hydrating effect it gives. (imo it is definitely better than my Nars makeup base) I won’t classify this product as a makeup base that will give you a radiant glow. For such an expensive product (around $110 in Australia), it should work more than a hydrator . There are a lot of other cheaper hydrating makeup bases that might work just as good as this one. For now I am going to explore further on other products.

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Labels: GUERLAIN • Makeup Base

Foundation Primer Reviews

March 30, 2011

Rather than talking about new makeups all the time, I would like to show you some of my old favorites – starting from Face products. Foundation primer aka Makeup base is not considered as an essential makeup item for some girls. As for me – I can’t live without foundation primer. I have one for every skin condition I can possibly have. Using a primer together with a foundation perfects my skin for a flawless and radiant complexion. On a good skin day, I would only use a primer and skip the foundation.

So here is a group picture of all the primers I am currently using..actually I have to admit I had no idea I own that many primers!

I don’t regret buying them all, each of them serves a different purpose. My foundation primers can be broken down into 4 categories:

1. Oil Controlling

Mac Prep and Prime Skin Base Visage: amazing product, hides my pores without feeling cakey and silicony – keeps the oil at bay for 8 hours! I only use it on my t-zone.

Shiseido (bought it in japan, no English name) : No swatches because this one is only exclusive to Asia, it used to be my HG until I found Mac Prep and Prime.

2. Radiance and Natural Glow

Chanel Base Lumiere – my absolute favorite! It contains no shimmers, but it imparts a really beautiful glow to your skin, gives a “your own radiant skin but better” effect.

Dior Radiant Base – a light pink fluid with tiny shimmers. My second favorite as the shimmers are not noticeable once it is sheered out – gives a beautiful pinkish glow.

Lancome Fluid Illuminator (LE) – a beige fluid with fine shimmers, can be used alone or mixed in with foundation. It is too shimmery for my liking – I only apply it along my cheekbones in summer time when my face is tanned for a bronzey look.

3. Color Correction

– Shiseido Control Base: a light green fluid designed to correct the redness in your skin. This one is amazing..I only use it when my skin looks dull. A tiny amount would turn your complexion into “you have just slept 10 hours”!

– Giorgio Armani fluid sheer no 5 – recommended by GA’s makeup artist at a makeover event. It is a peachy fluid, very pigmented so I can’t imagining applying it all over the face. I like to use it on my cheeks to create a natural flush.

– Etude Pore Smoothing Peach Base (korean brand) – a purple fluid that brightens up your complexion by a few shades. I won’t recommend using it all over the face unless you want a geisha look. Again it’s a good product for a dull skin day.

These products were heavily swatched in the picture. The effect on your face would be a lot more subtle than shown in the picture. Even for my whole face I would use less than what I used for swatching.

4. Primers with sunscreen

Shu Uemura UV Under Base: it’s been a cult favorite in Asia for ages – can be used as sunscreen, makeup base or tinted moisturizer. On a good skin day, I would only use this product on my face – very sheer but evens out skin tone.

Kanebo Lunasol UV Essence: A makeup base with spf of 25 , has the same texture as a serum. It absorbs into your skin like a serum, makes your skin look hydrated and glowing, leaves no white cast on your skin like other suncreens do. The best sunscreen I have ever come across!