L'Oreal Infallible 24H Matte Foundation 10 Porcelain

If you're a frequent reader of beauty blogs, I'm sure the hype about this foundation did not escape your attention. I've heard so many raves about this new matte version of the Infallible foundation and though I had my doubts about it simply because it sounded too good to be true, in a typical beauty blogger fashion, I desperately wanted to try it. So does it live up to the hype? Oh, yes. I think it does.

Texture: The consistency is somewhere between liquid and thick and it reminds me a bit of Catrice's Nude Illusion, but it's a bit lighter compared to that one and also feels drier to the touch meaning it has a high content of silicones. It's one of those foundations that dries fast once applied, so you don't have a lot of time for blending it in and that's why I apply this foundation in sections to avoid any unblended patches of foundation.

Coverage: I'd say it's medium, though I've heard many people say it's almost full coverage and I have a feeling that some might say it looks like light-medium coverage based on my close-up pictures. I actually apply thin coats of any foundation, hence why my freckles still show through on the pictures. Because it's a matte foundation, I prefer to apply less, as foundations tend to look cakey very fast on my skin (I seriously have no idea how Youtube/Instagram girls get off with such thick coats of foundation and contour. It all looks so fake on me). Its best feature in my opinion is how well it hides pores. This looks amazing over pores. I've never tried anything like it, not even a primer. Almost every foundation started to emphasize my pores for some reason, but this kind of just camouflages it by filling them in, instead of just sinking into them. It's so amazing to see how the pores look so diminished with this foundation, I'm a huge fan. I have noticed though that with a brush I don't get such a flawless result when it comes to pores, so my preferred method of application is with fingers - well, at least when it comes to the areas around the nose. It doesn't cover under eye circles well and the blemishes will still peak though despite applying several layers on them, so an additional layer of concealer is needed.

Finish: This is a matte finish foundation and as I said it sets fast, however, it's not completely draining matte. I'm not sure if it looks like this only on my slightly oilier summer skin, but there is definitely that natural radiance I have showing though. It manages to keep my skin matte for a very long time, but if it's a very hot day, then I use a bit of powder on my forehead. It doesn't crease under the eyes, probably due to a high silicone content, same goes for any lines, though it doesn't disguise them like pores. This will look weird over patches, just to warn you. I have to be careful especially in the area around the eyebrows and close to the scalp. If your skin is dry or dehydrated, I don't think this is a foundation for you. 

Shade (10 Porcelain): I got the lightest one in the range and it's s closest to Bourjois Healthy Mix 51, only it's pink toned. L'Oreal has a tendency to make their pink toned foundation look a bit orange and I get that same impression when I swatch this on the back of my hand and it's also not the best match for my skin, but it doesn't look terribly fake I think, especially compared to N1 from their True Match range. It could be lighter, but at least I now have a decent face self-tanner, so I'll be able to use it in the winter as well.

Staying power: I've said a few times than I never check my foundation during the day because I just don't care enough, but I did notice that this foundation lasts averagely. It lasts maybe up to 8 hours on me, as by then it's definitely mostly wiped off on my nose, but the skin is mostly still matte. But it does fade nicely, without caking up or looking patchy.

Scent: It has a faint scent that I barely notice, but it's sort of a classic makeup scent.

Packaging: It's a simple tube with a precise nozzle applicator. The black parts of the packaging can get dirty from foundation fast, especially the cap as it's slightly rubberised. 

Price and availability: This doesn't appear like it will reach our drugstores anytime soon, even so I highly doubt that 10 Porcelain will be sold here (because as we all know pale women don't live in Slovenia *rolls eyes*), but I got mine on Salma for 10.90 €. I'm not sure in which countries it's sold apart from UK, but check your drugstores. US version comes in a bit different, flatter packaging. I have seen just the primer from this line in our drugstores.

So the final verdict on this foundation? I'm impressed. Do I like it more than my long time favourite Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum? I'm not sure that I do because that one looks like nothing on my skin and this one has that tell-tale matte finish, nor do I think like it more than Nars' Sheer Glow, but it's definitely in my top 5 and it's my favourite summer foundation for sure. I love how it looks over pores and I even like the matte finish, even though it doesn't make it the most natural looking foundation, but it's definitely very handy in the summer heat. The shade is its weak point, L'Oreal just has to learn how to make neutral light foundations. It's a foundation that to me appears like it has a high content of silicones and since it "fills in" the pores so well, I make sure I really get everything off at the end of the day, so I don't end up with blocked pores, but so far it hasn't caused me any skin problems at all. If you have oily, combination or normal skin, this is definitely a foundation to try, however, people with dry skin and any dry patches, might not like this foundation so much. I'm still a bit concerned how this will perform on me in colder months, but for now I'm fan.

Have a great day!

Catrice Lumination LE Powder Blush C01 Flushed-Fiction

Normally I don't pay much attention to limited editions, I'm just put off by the whole concept, but when I saw this blush, it landed in my shopping basket in a blink of an eye. It's been a bumpy road with this blush and I only had it for a week or so. The reason why I'm posting a review so quickly (well at least for what I'm used to) is that's it's a limited edition item. It was love at first sight, then a disappointment and then I started liking it again - I told you it was bumpy.

So I have this one colour of blushes that I love and buy dupes of them with that defiant "They're not the same, they're similar" stance that secretly even I don't believe. Oh, the lies we tell ourselves to make us feel better *she glances at her ever growing mint green nail polish collection*. Some of you might have noticed it yourself if you saw this blush in person that it is similar to I'm Nuts About You from the Illuminating Blush range and it's also in the same colour family as my beloved Rose Royce from the Defining Blush range. Flushed-Fixion is a warm natural shade or kind of a muted pink and is only a hint cooler than Nuts About You, while it's less intense as well as less warm than Rose Royce. This translates into a lovely fresh, but subtle flush on the cheeks. Unlike the other two before mentioned blushes, this one has, as the name of the collection implies, a glowy/luminous finish on the cheeks Just think of it as Catrice's version of Max Factor's Creme Puffs. Basically this shade is what I wanted and expected MF's Lavish Mauve to be. Of course, Catrice likes to think that Nuts About You is illuminating, well not on my cheeks it isn't. But no matter, they got there eventually, even if it is a limited edition. 

So now to why things have been so bumpy. I obviously loved the colour straight away and shoved it into my shopping basket in 0.0002 seconds after seeing it, so I didn't check the pigmentation well. At home I discovered that the pigmentation is very poor and I needed several layers for the colour to show up. Naturally I was quite disappointed and even that illuminating effect was weaker than I expected. Thankfully, now that broke through the top layer, the pigmentation is much better. The interesting pattern is subsequently quickly disappearing, but I'm much happier with the blush than I was a week ago. The illuminating effect is nice as well, though you won't see it on my pictures because my poor Galaxy couldn't pick it up. It's more of a subtle to medium strength sheen, so some might be disappointed if they like super glowy cheeks, but for me it enough. As far as staying power goes, I don't think it's as good as Defining Blushes, but it's still nice, especially for drugstore blushes. 

In the end it did end up to be all I wanted Lavish Mauve to be, so just a simple natural-pinky blush with an illuminating effect. I'm glad this landed in my shopping basket. I got mine in Müller for 4.29 € and I've seen this collection in many places. There is also a very interesting highlighter in this collection that I'm still pondering whether to get or not, while Taya reviewed a bright pink lipstick from called Pink MATTrix.

Did you get or do you plan to get anything from this collection?

Have a great day!