Review | Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation

In the past I've mentioned many times how I enjoyed the Maybelline Fit Me range - foundation, concealer (most of all), and powder were all great on my skin and I always enjoyed using them. Now they have launched a new range of Fit Me products which were focused specifically on creating a matte and pore diminished finish to the skin - hello right up my alley!

I went for the shade 115 Ivory which is the absolute best match for my current skin tone out of any foundation I am currently using. In my initial application I found it to be very similar in consistency to the original Fit Me - a little more on the fluid side of things, but I don't mind this as it makes blending easy as pie and in some strange way it feels like you're not using as much product.

The difference came when it was applied and began to set - instant mattification! - but not in the way that makes you look flat or unnatural. I also must admit I was quite surprised when I took a closer look and did see a difference in the way my pores around my nose and on my cheeks looked. Nothing can make your pores actually disappear, but they can be concealed, and I think this stuff does a pretty darn good job of it!

I wore this for a full day and found it stayed in place really well and did not feel heavy or mask-like, even by the end of the day prior to washing my face. Overall I think this foundation is worth a try, especially for anyone looking for a good matte but natural looking foundation, medium coverage, and all for a great drugstore price!


Have you tried this foundation out yet? What did you think?

Beauty Favorites | January 2015

I don't know what it is about January but I always seem to be caught off guard at the end of it thinking - where did the month even go? All of a sudden its January 27th and I'm finding myself rushing to gather my monthly favorites together so I can finally get one of these posts up at the end of the actual month I'm talking about (lets cross our fingers I make it happen more than once!). Without further delay, lets get into these favorites, and start also making our way through the shortest (and most gloomy in my opinion) month of the year. 

First off, I found myself reaching for these couple face makeup items pretty much every single day this month except for the days I wore no makeup at all. Loreal True Match foundation was always a favorite of mine, and after repurchasing it a couple months back I've found it back in my everyday makeup bag from the depths of my makeup drawers. Perfectly paired with the foundation was my Benefit Erase Paste which does a double duty of blemish and under eye concealing. I've been pretty constant on my bronzer and concealer this month as well - Nars Laguna Bronzer paired with the Rimmel blush in Pink Rose have been my dream combo. 

As for the rest of my makeup I've been keeping it pretty simple as well. I've really been enjoying a more simple eye look with lots of mascara - the one I haven't been able to keep my hands off of is Loreal Miss Manga which I did a full review of this month as well. As for lips I have to say a shout out to one of my favorite bloggers and fellow Canadians Estee (Essie Button), as I saw in her Best Beauty Products of 2014 video that she mentioned the Revlon Balm Stain in Honey was a favorite of hers. Lets just say any lip product specifically that Estee calls her favorite of the entire year has got to be purchased, like.. yesterday.

(Top to bottom) Nars Laguna, Rimmel Pink Rose, Revlon Honey 

There you have it guys! A very small but to the point January Beauty Favorites! Comment down below with some of the products you've enjoyed this month! 

Five Things | Go To Drugstore Foundations

Foundation is one of those very individual things, and I know everyone has a different preference - dewy, natural, matte, light/full coverage etc - and everyone also has different skin types, which makes it difficult to wear certain types of foundation. I tried to choose a variety for this post so that there is something for pretty well everyone. As I've said in many a post before, my skin is combination. All these foundations work well for me, it just depends on what finish or coverage level I'm looking for on any given day. 

The first two I grabbed are both similar in that they leave a more dewy finish to the skin - not in the 'I just left the gym' kind of way though. Maybelline Fit Me is a wonderful one for a nice medium coverage, and leaves the skin looking dewy, but not oily. It does have an spf built in which is great for protection your skin, but should be avoided if you're planning on getting your picture taken - white cast is bad news! Rimmel Wake Me Up is my other favorite drugstore foundation in the glowy catagory. This has a very, very fine shimmer to it which reflects the light giving you a lovely 'lit from within' look. It's medium coverage, and I especially love this foundation for this time of year because of the glow, and the fact that it gives any dry areas on my face a little extra moisture. 

If you're not so much into the dewy look, these next three will be more your style. If you're after the most matte face possible, Rimmel Stay Matte is right up your alley. This is probably the most mattifying foundation I've ever tried - if your curious about the finer details, you can read my full review of it here. Loreal True Match foundation is much more a middle of the road type of foundation. I would call it medium to full coverage, and because it is oil free I feel it does a good job of keeping oily areas at bay, but does not have the extreme matte effect of the Rimmel Stay Matte.

My last pick, and my most favorite as of lately goes out to Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous. I've raved about this for about two straight months now - I've done a full review that you can read here - but to sum it up, it's a long wearing foundation with medium to full coverage that keeps your skin looking matte and flawless all day. The price point of this (about 6-8$CAD) for the quality is simply astounding. I think it's safe to say I'll continue to be raving about this for many months to come.

Throw a comment below on some of your favorite drugstore foundations! 

December 2014 Beauty Favorites

I know, I know, it's basically half way through January of a new year now, but I figured better late than never. With that being said, here are my favorite beauty products that brought me into the new year!

Bath and Body Works Frosted Wonderland Body Cream

The scent of this is absolutely heavenly, and the formula is my favorite as far as body lotions go from Bath and Body Works - extremely moisturizing for this time of year especially. 

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation

I've previously mentioned this foundation in another favorites post, and have also done a review which you can read here. 

Covergirl Lash Blast Volume (waterproof)

This mascara is an old favorite. I decided to repurchase it a while back and can't believe I ever stopped using it. It is one of my top drugstore mascaras ever for sure. 

China Glaze Evening Seduction Polish

I truly love dark polishes all year round, but especially through the fall and winter. This has been my go to quite a bit lately - almost black, but not. It's actually a very deep purple shade that I find extremely flattering, long wearing and shiny, even without a top coat. 

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

This bronzer is completely matte (love), and has a cooler tone (also love), which makes it perfect to give you some color this time of year, but does the job without making you look overdone or orange. There's really no time of the year that I'm not obsessed with this bronzer. 

St. Ives Smooth and Nourished Oatmeal Scrub + Mask 

I've tried this product as a scrub, but I was not a huge fan, but I have absolutely loved it as a hydrating mask. I remove my makeup, cleanse my skin and then apply this for about 10-15 minutes once or twice a week. It leaves my skin feeling super soft, plump and hydrated and has really helped with some of the dryer areas around my nose and chin that I tend to get this time of year. 

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Color Lip Liner in Enchantment 

These lip liners are my absolute favorite from the drugstore and overall. This is the most perfect neutral plum shade - perfectly pair with many medium toned lipsticks of like color, or just as beautiful on its own (my personal favorite lately). 

Revlon Brow Fantasy

I've been completely obsessed with this little duo pencil and brow gel, it is awesome! I did a review on this which you can find here .

Loreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense 

This is a classic and old love of mine - look back to any post from probably two years ago and it was probably included. I ran out of my Maybelline Line Stiletto around the middle of December and decided to go back to Loreal just to switch things up. I honestly don't know why I ever gave this stuff up. So easy to work with and perfectly bold and black. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing my (very late) December 2014 beauty favorites! 

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation | Review

Hello all! I know it's been quite a long while since I've done any sort of foundation review/demo on the blog and since I mentioned this foundation was a November favorite of mine I decided a full review was in order. 

I bought this after seeing Makeup by TiffanyD talk about it in this video and rave about how much she was enjoying it. Lets be serious, if it's good enough for Tiffany, I'm certain it's good enough for me! 

The Claim

The product is described as a 'fresh complexion oil free foundation'. 

"One simple step for a flawless, natural look that lasts all day. The formula blends easily to even skin tone and reduces shine all day."

Bare face 

I actually decided doing this post now would be beneficial as well as I've been experiencing a lot more redness than normal around my nose and cheeks, and I've also been quite sleep deprived lately, so my dark circles are quite pronounced. I thought this would be the perfect way to display how well the foundation covers on its own.

After foundation

It does an amazing job of covering up imperfections, reducing redness, and disguising discoloration. I only used about a pea size amount, maybe a touch more to cover my entire face. To blend this product out I've tried several different foundation brushes as well as my finger tips. I've found there is really no wrong way to apply this, no matter what way I choose to go about it, it always ends up looking amazing. Today I just used my Real Techniques buffing brush. 

The product is super easy to blend out and almost melts into the skin for a super natural true skin looking finish. It is extremely light weight, but at the same time provides a good medium coverage. 

Full makeup

I find this product has extremely amazing lasting power (for my skin I would say between 8-10 hours), and I find this is the only foundation I own that I don't need to set with a powder for the long wearing result if I so choose.

What else I wore on my face

All in all I give this product two really big thumbs up! If you've yet to try it I highly recommend running out and picking one up. They have a great shade range, and the price point of 6-8$CAD is just one more reason you need to give this a shot.


Tried this for yourself yet? Let me know what you think of it, I love hearing other peoples opinions on products! 

November Favorites 2014

As another month comes to and end it's that time where I round up some of the things I've used and enjoyed the most this month... here's what I came up with! 

NYX Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo

Guys, seriously, I've been obsessed with this little beauty this month. It is so soft and creamy (as the name would suggest) and I don't find it drying like other matte lip products I've tried. It's long wearing and smells amazing too! Going to be getting more shades in the very near future because I think I'm in love.

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation

I plan on doing a full review/how I apply this product really soon but just know it is seriously awesome stuff. I may actually have to dub this my favorite drugstore foundation of all time (wow! now that says something!). 

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner Definer in Natural 

This is an old favorite that really never isn't in my makeup bag, I've gone through at least 4 of these guys in my time and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. It's the 'my lips but better' lip liner shade, and I adore it so much I wear it on its own a lot of the time as well. This month I've been really loving it combined with the next product I'm going to mention. 

Maybelline Color Elixir in Nude Illusion 

This stunner has been going over top of the Rimmel liner and making for my perfect everyday lip combo. These glosses are also an addiction of mine - my goal is to get every single color... seriously. They feel amazing and smell even better! 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

Another oldie but goodie. It's such an effortless product and I think that's why I always end up throwing it back into my makeup bag time and time again.

EVAmour Perfume by Eva Longoria 

I must say I did not buy this for myself, my mother in law picked it up on a whim while in duty free while on a trip to North Carolina. I'm usually slightly nervous to receive fragrances as a gift because I'm so particular about what I truly like to wear. She really did amazing picking this up though, it is just me plus fall - I am terrible at describing scents but I highly recommend giving this a sniff next time you're able to because it's simply lovely.

Maybelline Pumped Up Mascara

As you can probably tell, if Maybelline comes out with a new mascara Hannah buys it, and fast. This has been in my makeup bag all month long and I've really been enjoying how plump and full and, of course, 'pumped up' it makes my lashes look. 

Maybelline Gel Liner in Brown

I've been loving this for both lining my eyes and for my water line and tight line. It lasts all day, the formula is smooth and creamy and I've been really digging brown liner because it's not as harsh looking as black can be, which is great for every day wear. 

Sally Hansen Polish in Ruby Do

Really no explanation needed for this aside from that its a lovely creamy burgundy wine color, and is the exact shade that I'm obsessed with at this time of year. I really love the formula of this polish, it's super creamy and opaque in one coat. I also enjoy the brush as it's bigger than ones like Essie/OPI. 

Notebooks

Finally, in the picture above you see I added in a notebook. This has just been the one I've been using over the past few weeks, but in general any form of notebook is always a favorite of mine. I use them for my daily life to keep track of jobs around the house, for my blog, for work, and to keep track of my kids and where they need to be - I would be totally lost without a notebook on the go at all times. 

Brand Boast: Rimmel London

Todays new post is something slightly different from anything I've ever done before. After becoming inspired by Essie Button,who has featured a number of specific blog posts and videos devoted to her love for one specific brand, I decided to draw from her inspiration and do a similar post. I'm going to attempt at making this a series of sorts entitled "Brand Boast". My first brand, as the title suggests, is Rimmel London.

Rimmel is a British cosmetics brand which was founded by Eugene Rimmel in 1834, originally as a perfumery and personal hygiene focused business. I have done much research into the brand since deciding to write this post, and since doing so the most interesting and amazing thing I have discovered is how industrious and business savvy Eugene Rimmel was. It is truly amazing that he started apprenticing at the age of 14, and by 24 was an expert perfumer and a visionary for his brand and the cosmetic industry as a whole. 

Now that I've quickly brushed you up on the history of the brand, I'm going to get down to why I love it so much, and have for easily ten years now. 

Face Products:

Im pretty sure one of my first ever foundations/powders was Rimmel brand, and ever since my grade school days I've continued to go back for more. It's not just the price point that is so appeal, but the fact that everything is such a great quality for that amazing price. There is nothing better than being able to rave about a product that is also widely attainable and affordable for all. 

My personal favorite as of late has been the Stay Matte foundation (I have a complete review on it here), and of course I cannot speak of Rimmel face products without pointing out that the Stay Matte pressed powder is probably one of the most universally loved drugstore powders of all time!


Lips:

The other top reason you will always find me going back for more Rimmel products - lippies! I swear they hit the nail on the head every single time, but my top favorite (and I'm sure many can agree) is the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick lines. For about 6$CAD you can get a lipstick that is pigmented, long wearing, easy to apply and comes in enough colors to keep every lipstick lover satisfied. I have also done a review of the Kate Moss lipsticks in past, you can find that full review here.


I hope you all enjoyed this post as I certainly enjoyed writing it and doing the research into one of my favorite brands! 

Review - Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation

When I first heard rumors of this foundation prior to its release I just knew it would be one I'd have to try. I love a matte face, and I love a good drugstore foundation, and if it also claims to have a lightweight formula... well sign me up! I've given this a try over the past two or so weeks so I have now been able to form a solid opinion and have found my favorite way to apply it, so let's get into it! 

The claim:

"lightweight shine control"

"feather light, liquid mousse blends flawlessly for natural-looking all day shine control. silky smooth formula leaves a perfectly matte, baby-soft finish. lightweight texture won't feel heavy or greasy." 

I chose the shade 100 Ivory, which I'm very pleased with. It is maybe a hair too dark for my pale winter complexion but is certainly nothing I could get too worked up about as it is as close as I could get. 

I purchased mine from Walmart for around $7.99CAD. At the time I purchased it I can honestly say I only saw maybe 5 or 6 shades, although I've seen advertisements that show 8 shades. 

For the purposes of this post I began bare faced (only products on my face are my Josie Maran pure argan oil mixed with my Neutrogena moisturizer) 

As I've been using this over the past few weeks I've found my favorite way to apply this foundation is to first dot on the product with my finger tips, and then go in with my Real Techniques buffing brush to blend/buff it into my skin. 

I must say I was shocked the first time I applied it, mainly because the formulation seemed much thicker than I anticipated, however once you begin to blend the product into the skin it does not seem stiff or difficult to work with at all. 

(after foundation application - no other products used) 

The only negative aspect I've found of this foundation is that I doubt anyone with dry skin would enjoy this. It has, on occasion, drawn attention to some of my small dry areas and I really don't have all that dry a skin type. 

(once I applied the rest of my makeup) 

Overall, I would have to say I really love this foundation, Rimmel has really out done themselves on this one. It's lovely and lightweight for being medium coverage. For me it's become a great alternative to my Revlon Whipped Cream 24hr as that can feel pretty heavy, especially for every day when you don't need 100% full coverage. 

Also I must add the wear time on this is great - 6-8 hours on my combination/oily skin is great, especially when the product doesn't even claim to be 'long wearing'. 

Let me know if you've tried, or plan on trying this!