
I’ve been testing out two new base makeup products, as i’m always keen to keep my skin looking fresh and flawless. Too Faced have launched the Born This Way Concealer, to go with their cult foundation of the same name; and Benefit have introduced Hello Happy Foundation to their line-up of bases. Neither of these offer a heavy level of coverage, so they are ideal ones to try out in the summer months of the year.
The Too Faced Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer * (£20 from Cult Beauty) has 12 shades that range from very fair (fair enough for me thankfully) and dark brown (not as dark as they could go). They could do with extending the range of shades, and I hope that this is something they’ll do soon after the initial launch.The concealer comes with a large doe foot applicator. I love applying concealer with these as they are soft and dispense just the right amount of product, but they do make it very hard to really finish a concealer and extract those last few applications worth of product from the tube.
It offers a medium level of coverage and subtly evens out the skin with inbuilt colour correctors. It has a natural, dewy finish, and it doesn’t cake or set into fine lines. It also has a hydrating effect on the skin, which helps to plump the skin. I like this concealer, for my under-eyes, during the warmer months of the year, when I like more of my own skin to show through, but in the winter months, I would prefer a fuller coverage concealer than this. If I was covering up blemishes, I would also opt for a fuller coverage concealer than this. If you are looking for a concealer that is skin-perfecting but still very natural and light, I’d definitely check this out. If, on the other hand, you like your concealer to be industrial strength, this is unlikely to be one for you.Benefit Cosmetics’ new Hello Happy Foundation* (£25.50 from Benefit Cosmetics) has packaging that is undeniably cute. It offers light coverage (the website says light-medium, but I don’t think it stretches this far), and has a soft-blur effect that blurs imperfections on the skin without hiding your own natural skin. In other words, you get a light amount of colour and coverage, but it’s quite sheer. It also has an almost magical way of making your skin look more flawless, by evening out the tone and blurring imperfections.
It’s a very easy foundation to apply as it’s quite a runny liquid and doesn’t require much blending. It’s also weightless and you don’t feel you are wearing anything. It’s one of those foundations that you would reach for if you want to go out bare-faced but just want a quick, tiny ‘something’ to even out your skin or make you look less tired or pale. There’s SPF factor 15 too. There are 12 shades (so not as inclusive as it could be) and the lightest shade (number 1) is still slightly too dark and warm for my pale cool-toned skin. I can get away with it though, if I apply a bit of bronzer to my neck and chest. This is a foundation that I would only wear on a good skin day, so if you are looking for something to hide blemishes or scars, this definitely isn’t it.
It also comes with a dropper applicator, but it leaks out into the lid when it’s screwed on, so it can be quite messy when you open it up. I just drop some onto a Real Techniques sponge and dab onto my skin.As well as these two new products, I also wanted to share with you my primer of choice at the moment. The Milani Prime & Protect SPF 30* (£15 from Beauty Bay) gives me a good broad spectrum sun protection factor, and also preps my skin for makeup. It’s very lightweight and is quick to absorb into the skin. It hydrates and moisturises the skin so that your makeup looks better, and it helps that makeup to stay put for longer. If you are looking for a new face SPF, I’d definitely give this a go, as it does two jobs in one very well indeed.
This post contains press samples, but all opinions are my own.
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