Maybelline Fit Me Foundation, Concealer & Powder

Taking full advantage of Superdrug's 3 for 2 offer I thought I'd road test the latest foundation offering from Maybelline.

What they say..

Fully customisable range of 12 shades with matching concealers & powers.
No nasties like fillers or waxes
Gel formula
100% natural looking skin

Excuse the dirty finger prints!

Packaging...

The pump on my foundation leaks a bit & seems to dispense too much product but it looks classic.

There's only so many ways to package a concealer, this is a pretty standard square-ish tube with rabbit foot applicator, not ground breaking but looks quite slick.

I do really like the way the powder is packaged. Its a sturdy, square compact with a good mirror under the powder so it stays clean & a very soft velour puff.

Thoughts...

Foundation

This takes a bit of blending but gives a very natural finish with just the right amount of luminosity for combo skin like mine. Feels light on skin but seems to stay wet for a bit longer than I'd like, not great if you're in a hurry. It gives a sheer to medium coverage which is a bit light for my normal tastes but adequate for a good skin day.

 I found you need a good primer with it to ensure it lasts past the 4 mark. I haven't set the whole face using the powder yet so perhaps that extends wear time. I didn't want to ruin the natural, fresh finish by adding powder where I don't need it. 

Concealer

The Concealer is very easy to blend and builds to a full finish without any hint of caking. Applied after foundation, an impressively small amount covers blemishes well. Although I was initially put off by the very liquid consistency of this product, it's light weight texture makes it great for under my eyes, where I need quite a lot of coverage.

 I fear it's longevity is probably not great if its not set but when used with the powder I got around 4 hours from it in normal daytime conditions.  I would normally opt for something more creamy but on top of a light base this really does the trick as it looks so natural but covers what I ask it to, its surprisingly opaque.

Powder

It's been a while since I bought a powder in compact form. I use MAC Mineralise Skin Finish (which lasts ages!) & loose powders, so I've gone out on a limb with this one. To be honest, I didn't expect to like it much as I'm very picky with powders. However I think this is probably the star of the trio.

 It's really light & the shade is great for my skin tone. I hated it when applied with the applicator it comes with but once I'd blended it out it gave a nice matt but not mask like finish. Used under my eyes to set concealer, it blended  to almost an invisible finish & didn't settle into my fine lines. It feels a lot more like an expensive powder, fine smooth texture & soft finish.

Overall

These are by no means Holy Grail products for me but they are reasonably priced and do seem to work in harmony with each other. The create a really natural base but don't have the staying power I long for in face products. I felt like I should be recommending this range to my 18 year old sister, I'm not sure why but it feels like it'd be suited to younger, clearer skin than mine!

 The shade range seemed quite impressive, with the lightest being really fair and the darkest looked deep and rich. I didn't swatch it but it did not look at all ashy in the bottle. I like the concept of having matching products and I think Maybelline have pulled it off. If you're after a super natural, affordable range of base products this is certainly worth a look but I do think there are better high street products out there. 

Review; Estée Lauder Flawless Wear Stay in Place Concealer

This concealer, part of the Double Wear range, after a rave review from a trusted friend I invested in the medium shade. I'd usually go for a slightly lighter shade but she was told (by an Estée Lauder artist) to go a shade darker for under eyes so I thought i'd give it a go. The medium shade, although scarily dark, is quite peachy so I thought it'd work much like a corrector.
The concealer comes in a tube with a typical rabbit foot applicator. It's very heavily pigmented which is great because you can use minimal product but still hide some pretty meaty dark circles. I've been using aroun d a third less than I'd normally wear if using Revlon Beyond Natural or Benefit Boi-ing.
I have found some long wear products to be a bit dry but this seems to mimic my skin nicely without creasing, becoming greasy or fading for about 8 hours It blends into my foundation well & sets quickly. I particularly like the fact I didn't need to powder it to get it to last, for me this is such a bonus as I find most powders begin to look flakey & cakey by lunchtime, especially when I'm tired.
If this product is an indication of the staying power of the whole range I can see why it has an army of devoted followers. I can see this concealer becoming a firm favourite within my collection. I can't wait to get this in a lighter shade so I can use it on my blemishes too.

Wish List For October

Every month on Payday I treat myself to a little haul of beauty goodies. On the wish list, amongst the usual eye colours and lotions & potions, this month are cream blushers, nude lips and concealers. I'd love recommendations and suggestions so please leave a comment and I'll let you know how I get on. 

On the look out for skin care.

I'm currently intrigued by cleansing oils. Having slightly oily skin I've always steered clear of anything oily on my face but having read so interesting reviews lately I'm currently after Shu Uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Oil or High Performance Balancing Beauty Oil. I think I'd follow up with an old favourite Bioderma Ceraline H2O used as a toner so I feel squeaky clean. I used the Bioderma obsessively for months until I kind of forgot about it but I think I'm going to dig out the dregs of a bottle that's lingering in the back of the cupboard and reignite my love for it. 
I'm also keen to try Clinique's Take Off the Day cleansing balm. I'm a big fan of the Boots Botanics Organic Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm. I love a hot cloth, I always feel really deeply clean afterwards particularly if I've worn heavy foundation. I've not heard much about the Clinique one but if I can find one on eBay I think it'll be worth a try.
Finally, inspired by an article in the current Glamour magazine, I'm hoping to try some products for combination skin, namely, Decleor Cleanse Fresh Purifying Gel and Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil.

I Hide it Well.

Concealers are on my radar this month as I come to the end of yet another pot of Boi-ing. Having read hundreds of reviews of the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage I think that's going to be top of the list but I'm also going to try the Collection/Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection as it seems to be doing well in the reviews and its cheapy cheap, cheap. If I happen to be in the MAC store I may take a look at the Studio Finish which I've always shied away from because I don't get on very well with MAC foundations. If all else fails i may return to the Vichy Dermablend as I've used it in the past with pretty good results.

The Naked Lip

Finally, I'm going to spend some time on nude lips. Now when I think nude lips I usually reach for a balm, tinted balm or subtle gloss. When it comes to nude colour I always get it wrong. Its either too brown, too pale or too pink. I'm going to start by investing in a No7 Perfect Lips Pencil in Nude and brandish it like a weapon as I scour the counters for a matching lipstick, perhaps something like MAC Blankety or Hue or Revlon Matte Lipstick in Nude Attitude. 
Also looking forward to trying the Collection 2000 Cream Puff Lip cream in Angel Delight & Fairy Cake. With Winter on the way I'll be keeping my eyes open for balms and salve as well.

A Rosy Glow

I've never really taken to cream blusher but with the colder weather by dry patches will surely expand so I think its time I properly experimented with a creamy texture that will hopefully add a healthy dewy glow as well as a bit of colour.. I'll probably start with a Max Factor Miracle Touch as I like the foundation and the colours I've swatched have been lovely, especially Soft Murano. Also like the look of Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush in Pinched.

So there end's my shopping list for this month, now all I've got to do is count the days to payday!!