Luminess Air... My Thoughts

A few months back I was sent a Luminess Air system to try. I was so excited because it had been so long since I had airbrushed and I had been seeing so many reviews about various systems everywhere online. I was sent the Beauty system which included the one speed compressor, 4 foundations, blush, bronzer and glow. As well I was to be sent an eye shadow duo, which was something I was very excited to try for myself!

 I loved the presentation of the system itself, the cute clutch that the system comes in is very cute and the brochure and DVD make the system easy to set up and understand!

I set up the system and began to experiment right away! I followed the instructions and used a lighter shade to cover imperfections and then moved on to my matching shade to do the rest of my face. Now my face is no where near perfect and I don't know if this is the reason why but I needed more then the suggested 10 drops for good coverage. I did feel however that the results were wonderful. Upon completion my skin was flawless yet I did not have a heaviness to my face. For myself I did need a powder for all day wear but this was simply because I have a very oily complexion.

The blush was quite pigmented so I had to be careful not to look overdone! With only one speed it is a little harder to control for this step then some other systems but once I got the hang of it I could create a good luck with this blush.

As for the eyeshadow... I really liked the colours I was sent. They created a nice look although I found them a little shimmery for my taste. I did need to create a type of stencil to create a nice clean look but it can be done. Again it was a little hard to achieve due to one speed but as with the blush, with practice it can be done.

My system did have one flaw... my stylus allowed product to escape without the lever being engaged! As with any product every now and then there will be an issue and for me this wasn't worth exchanging my system. I simply did not turn my compressor on until the stylus was in my hand and ready to use.

Maybelline Fit Me and the Zumba Test!!

When I heard that the Maybelline Fit Me line of products was being released in Walmart's in Canada I just had to run out and take a look! I was excited to see the display but was lucky to find shades that matched me. They only had 2 of the 6 concealers shown online and 6 of the 18 foundation shades! I am not sure if this was just my location so if you have seen the whole line please leave a comment and let me know!

Like I said I was lucky to find my shade in foundation and concealer. I may try the blush at a later time but I didn't see a shade that was different from those I have. I also skipped on the powder as when I tested it I really felt the powder with not finely milled and felt and looked chalky on the skin of my hand!

I bought the foundation in 125 nude beige and concealer in 20 sand as the light shade available had a pink undertone which does not erase redness like a yellow based does!

I decided to give these products the ultimate test and tried them for the first time on my skin while doing a Zumba class, but first I want you to know my initial thoughts. The foundation had a lovely medium coverage without looking masky. The finish was quite dewy and it took very little product to do my whole face. The concealer was a lighter coverage then some may like but I really liked the way it hide redness and dark circles without coming across as heavy and hiding my skin completely!

Now to the Zumba test and my thoughts! This was my first Zumba class and with buying these products today I just couldn't help but taking advantage to test how this foundation would hold up. I applied a light application of foundation and concealer and walked out the door with no powder to my 30 min class. I totally thought I felt makeup meltdown as I worked out but went on (I did not wipe my face during the workout and only blotted it afterwards). Once home I headed to the bathroom to check out the damage. I was shocked to see that there was minimum meltdown going on! I had wear on my forehead due to my bangs, and slight wear on my chin the oiliest part of my face! I was so pleasantly surprised that this product lasted so well!

If you can check out this line because for how light and dewy this foundation and concealer are the staying power is amazing and it really looks like skin not makeup!

Too Faced Amazing Face Liquid Foundation

Annabelle Minerals and Lip Plumping Gloss

You all know how much I support the Annabelle cosmetics line. I have been using their products for years now and they have always been a staple for me. I was so excited when I was sent some goodies from the Mineral Collection as well as 2 shades of the Lip Plumping Gloss to try out.

I will start with my thoughts on the mineral collections. I was sent a foundation, blush as well as bronzer to try. I first used the blush and bronzer after getting my package. The blush was a beautiful pink colour which I really think is a tone that suits most of the population. I really liked this blush as it wasn't as shimmery as many mineral blushes can tend to be. It blended into the skin beautifully and such a little goes so far that this blush will last you forever!

The bronzer was a win for me as well. It comes in one shade and it worked beautifully on my pale skin. I have also used it on a client with my darker skin then me and it also worked well on her giving her a radiant glow without a glittery appearance. Again a little goes a long way with this product so the key is really starting with very little product.

The foundation is said to be 'a super light foundation that provides just the right amount of coverage. Its natural and pure formulation lets skin breathe'. This foundation is much lighter then other mineral foundations on the market, but it does still give a reasonable coverage. If you have a lot of skin issues such as acne, this may not be enough coverage for you, but for the average women who's skin has minimal discolouration to cover, I really think this is a great option.

Lastly is the Lip Plumping Gloss, which I received in Cherryoke and Sweet Tweet. Now it did take me a little while to get the knack of getting the gloss to come out of the tube (no idea what my issue was... haha) but once I did I really liked these glosses. Sweet Tweet is my fave as I love light pink shades of gloss and I simply love the way it looks on the lips. This gloss is very moisturizing which really did make my lips appear fuller. My lips are extremely dry so the moisture gives a fuller appearance for sure.

I really liked all of the products so again Annabelle did not disappoint!! If you love this line just as I do, be sure to check out these new additions next time you are shopping!

Cover FX 10th Anniversary and 1st Blogger Event

 Lee Graff working on a model with rosacea

photo credit to Jenn from spiced beauty

Last Tuesday evening I was lucky enough to be a part of the 1st Cover FX blogger event in celebration of the companies 10th anniversary! I was so excited as founders Lee Graff and Jenny Frankel were at the event. Learning about a product line from the women who created it was a very special as the passion for their product was so evident as they spoke!

Wanda Longo working on Jenny Frankel

photo credit to Jenn from spiced beauty

I was so intrigued as Cover FX was born for use in Lee Graff's CosMedic Clinic At Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto, helping those with skin conditions such as birthmarks, burns etc to cover the flaws that made them feel uncountable in their daily lives. Cover FX became available to the general public pretty much by accident when the clinic was temporarily moved to a Shoppers Drug Mart location during the time when hospitals were limiting access to many non critical patients. Women wanted to learn more as they watched Lee meet with her patients and saw the transformations take place. Lee and Jenny then knew that Cover FX was something that could help all women feel more confident!

photo credit to Farah from faces by farah

I just felt that a company that was created to deal with the severest of skin conditions as well as the most sensitive of skins was something that you just don't see in the marketplace. This company is all about creating confidence in women and all of the products were full of treatment qualities as well which I thought was amazing.

Did you know Cover FX can also cover Tattoos? There were wings on both wrists

photo credit to Jenn from spiced beauty

We had a chance to learn more about all of the products in the line and even got a chance to play with the products ourselves. There were also some wonderful demonstrations of what Cover FX could do! We were also lucky enough to receive the Big Cover Up Kit to take home with us so stay tuned for my complete review coming soon!!

I also want to thank my fellow bloggers Jenn (Spiced Beauty) and Farah (Faces By Farah) who saved the day by providing me with pics that they had taken as my camera had some technical difficulties! Please visit these lovely ladies as their blogs are among those I visit daily!

Quick Tip - Don't Let That Foundation Go to Waste!

I am always being asked for tip's and tricks for makeup. So I have decided to add quick tips here and there so let you all know some of my favourites.

Quick tip for the day is a favourite of mine for foundations that you simply don't use because they are just a little too dark for you. Simply add some of this foundation to your moisturizer to give yourself a great tinted moisturizer on those day's where you simply don't need foundation. It's a great way to use product that would normally just go to waste. When I really want a glow I also add a little liquid illuminator to the mix as well!

Do you have a great quick tip?? Let me know at makeupkase@hotmail.com. It may get included on a future quick tip post!

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation

There has been so much discussion about Revlon's Photo Ready foundation that I just had to pick it up and give it a try! Reviews are so mixed that I really had no idea what to expect. At approx. $16 CAD this is a high price tag for a drugstore foundation but I am a sucker for a Revlon foundation so I just had to give this one a shot.

I bought this one is Vanilla as the shades are still limited at this point and the next shade down just seemed too dark for my skin.  The Vanilla is a little on the light side for me, but once my bronzer etc has been added it is fine.  If this foundation does well I am certain you will see the shade range increase over time.

I love that this bottle has a pump! I miss the days when my beloved Colorstay had a pump saving many messes! At 30 mL this foundation is on par with most when it comes to amount given for you money.

Now on to the important stuff!!! This foundation I would classify as a medium coverage, it can be built up, but does not give the immediate coverage of a Colorstay. I have oily skin for the most part and I found that this product did want to move during the course of the day. Any redness in my skin did begin to show by the end of the day due to this movement.

This foundation does have a sparkle to it. Reviews range from claiming not to see the sparkle to being overwhelmed my the amount of sparkle on the skin. I did notice the sparkle on my hands, but once on the face and set with powders etc I really didn't see any sparkle at that point. That being said the underlying sparkle may not work well with flash photography, as it will show any type of sheen to the skin! Another note is that although the SPF of 20 is great, it as well is not good for photography. Those two factors for me make this not a 'photo ready' foundation.

If you want a medium coverage and do not have oily skin, this one may be ok for you. For me though it just wasn't a good fit, and to me it just doesn't fit it's claims!

Maybelline Superstay Foundation

This weekend I went out and purchased Maybelline's Superstay foundation. Superstay is the newest addition the the Maybelline foundation line up and is the replacement for the old long lasting foundation Maybelline once offered which was double sided and was blended once pumped from the bottle.

I really wanted to like this foundation but I just couldn't do it. All of you who read my blog know how much I LOVE Revlon's Colorstay so that is my comparison for sure. First of all Maybelline usually offers a great selections of colours for those who have both yellow and pink undertones. The Superstay however did not. Although the disply showed every other colour having the different undertone, when tested all were pink compared to my skin until I got the the shade nude, which is the fourth from the lightest shade in the collection and is darker then my skin tone. I did decide to try it as when I self tan I am much darker. 

As soon as I started to apply it I noticed a orange hue to my skin, as well it looked heavy but still did not cover all my redness. My Revlon goes on creamy and begins to cover right away with even the lightest application. I had to apply too much product for my liking in order to get the coverage so that redness didn't come through and by then it looked heavy. It did set to powder finish which is nice, but I did find that it made any dryness in my skin more noticeable.

As for all day wear I cannot say that is true either. Wearing the Maybelline just as I do my Revlon I saw noticeable signs of wear within a few hours. I did not rub my face with a cloth or anything extreme, just normal wear as compared to my favorite brand. 

I think if you only wanted a light coverage and had a pink undertone it MAY work for you. For me however who needs a medium coverage, has combination skin and a yellow undertone Superstay was totally not the right product.

I will not be giving up my Revlon Colorstay anytime soon!!!! 

If You Are Getting Married Please Read.... And Even If You Are Not!

Have you been caring for your skin in preparation for your big day? When you are wanting to look flawless for your big day skin care is one of the biggest aspects. So often when working on clients I am finding that with all they have to do they forget their skin. Dehydrated or non-exfoliated skin will not properly receive makeup therefore not giving the flawless appearance every bride ( or anyone for that matter) wants. 

No matter how skilled your makeup artist is skin that has not been cared for is very difficult to give a flawless appearance too. Any dryness that isn't seen without makeup becomes magnified when makeup comes into play, even with the best primers etc. Take the time to properly hydrate and exfoliate your skin before your big day so that your skin is at peak condition for your makeup artist to work with. 

Remember to drink lots of water as well as dehydrated skin is also a big problem. Pre wedding stresses often lead to more caffeine etc, which takes moisture from the skin. Drinking lots of water will make your skin even better for your wedding day.

A final note is about eyebrow waxing before your wedding. Foundation does not adhere properly to freshly waxed skin. The reason is that the wax removes the top layers of skin as well as the hair leaving it a different texture then the rest of the skin on the face. This baby soft area around they eye will now not accept product while the rest of the face will. This leaves a blotchy look to the skin which then is difficult to compensate for with makeup. Have those brows waxed as far in advance as your re-growth will allow you. I always suggest a week or so and then have any hairs plucked on the big day.

Well those are my tips when it comes to skin. Creating the best canvas you can will only make you look more polished for your big day, leaving you feeling confident and gorgeous!!

Maybelline's Mineral Power Foundation Review

I recently reviewed Maybelline's Mineral Power concealer as one of my favorite concealers. At the time I touched on the foundations but decided I better include a more in-depth review so that you have a complete overview of this line (there are powder ad blush components to this line as well I may discuss at a later time).

Mineral Power consists of two types of foundation; a traditional powder foundation as well as mineral liquid foundation. I have personally tried both of these products and there is a clear winner in my books which I will get to soon. First we will discuss the liquid formulation.

This product is much like the concealer as it is not greasy or oily in anyway allowing it to blend very well into the skin. This product gives amazing coverage for how light it is, I would call the product a medium coverage foundation. The product comes in a very wide selection of shades which I found amazing, everyone was included when they formulated these shades. As well seeing as it is a mineral formulation it is great for problem skin (as it has no fillers) and works well from oil skin to dry. Many oily skinned girls know that liquid foundations can change colour (up to 2 shades) due to oxidation, this one does not have that problem!

Mineral Power's other offering is the traditional mineral powder formulation. Overall mineral powders are not my favorite as I feel they only work on skin that is pretty much flawless to begin with. They tend to exaggerate problems in the skin as well as any lines that may be present. That being said Mineral Power's is one of the best I have tried, I have worn it several times since I received the product and found it ok for light coverage. The one thing I do not like as with most mineral foundations is that it turns begins to give a white hue when it reacts with my oily skin. Again this is one of the better formulations I have tried and is great for young non problem skin but not my go-to product for sure.

So if you couldn't pick the winner in my books it is the liquid formulation. It is what I carry in my kit at the moment and I have it to be a great product on all ages and skin types I have encountered thus far!

Give Mineral Power a try if you are in the market for a new foundation!

Revlon Colorstay Foundation

I'm often asked what my favorite foundation is when working with clients. I must admit that it is difficult as I do have so many favorites but for me personally when I'm at home there is only one choice. Revlon Colorstay is one of the best I have ever used for my face. No matter what I use a always go back to this product. I know that many Youtube guru's such as MissChievous and MakeupGeek have found and love this product as well. I have contemplated several times on using this product in my working makeup kit but always steer away as I know several people who have a sensitivity to this foundation line due to its coverage. If you are like though and need maximum coverage I think this is the way to go. I know several people who have switched form products such as MAC to use Revlon Colorstay!

The product goes on so smoothly and settles into a matte and long lasting finish. The coverage is extremely buildable into an opaque finish that will cover the most uneven skin tones. Usually with maximum coerage foundations that tends to be creasing or movement throughout the day. Relvon stays where you put it and if you are extremely oily as I am can be blended back into place without noticeable signs of makeup meltdown that some other brands tend to show.

I can't really rave about this product enough, but as I have said I have heard of people having a sensitivity to this product so do keep that in mind when trying it.

I wouldn't be without this product in my personal makeup bag!