Giogrio Armani Face Fabric ($45.00) is the latest from GA when it comes to foundations.  It is my first time trying any Giorgio product, let alone one of their foundations (which are pretty highly touted!).  Face Fabric is described as “second skin nude makeup.”  It’s actually an accurate description of how the foundation feels.  The easiest way to describe the texture and feel of this foundation is to call it a tinted primer.  It has much of the same texture as a silicone-based primer does (like Smashbox Photofinish), but this is clearly tinted to act like a foundation.

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Prescriptives’ All Skins Mineral Makeup SPF15 ($32.50) is described as a weightless, long-wearing mineral makeup foundation. It is supposed to be filled with “good-for-you” ingredients. I’ve yet to fall head over heels in love with any mineral foundation; I feel like I get more on my bathroom counter and my shirt (and somehow, I am always wearing black when I try a mineral foundation!) than my face. I also find that loose powders, in general, settle more into the lines and pores of my face, making my skin seem rougher. Prescriptives’ mineral makeup does not share this common trait; I find that it doesn’t settle in the lines around my lips (those pesky smile wrinkles), which is a huge plus for me. So the fact that it doesn’t settle into fine lines makes this a supreme choice for those of us who are experiencing those telltale signs of aging and want to minimize–or at least not emphasize (!)–them.

Any downsides? 

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Make Up For Ever HD Powder ($30.00) recently launched this past May, and it is a translucent finishing powder that is meant to work on all skin tones. It can be worn over foundation to set or alone, and it gives what MUFE calls a “soft focus” effect to the skin. It uses ultra fine, spherical micro-particles that are made up of 100% mineral silica powder. If that confuses you, just know that they reflect natural and artifical light, softening lines and imperfections on the screen and in person.

Break out your buffer brush (182, I love you), like MUFE’s Kabuki Brush ($39.00), which will be available this August, and buff this powder into your skin. A little goes a long way, so you can stretch your value as well as keep your skin feeling lightweight.  I prefer using this over my foundation, as it seems to give me a better appearance thusly. I am somewhat reminded of MAC’s Invisible Set. HD Powder does seem to help my foundation look good throughout the day, and it doesn’t let it settle into my fine lines as easily.

What do you think of makeup designed for HD? Do you feel like it makes a difference?

CoverFX Natural FX ($37.00) is a water-based foundation that contains SPF 15 that was developed to be long-wearing. It is a light to medium coverage, highly blendable foundation that leaves behind a dewy, soft finish and evens out skintone. CoverFX has made this particular foundation more water resistant than other foundatinos on the market, which makes it great for summer and humid climates.

I found that it wore throughout the day with no smudging or melting, and I didn’t feel like I needed any touch-ups, either.  I liked how blendable the foundation was, because it gave me plenty of time to buff it into my skin for flawless coverage.  It is also great, because it is liquid enough that you can sheer it out for light coverage, but buildable enough that you can make it medium coverage, as well.  The only real downside to this product is its price tag, which is a bit higher than the average foundation.

They have twenty shades to choose from, broken down into four series. The B series is for golden brown to ebony skin tones; the C series is for Caucasian skins with mostly pink undertones; E series is for Caucasian skins with both pink and yellow undertones; and the M series is ideal for those with yellow and olive undertones.

Get yours at www.coverfx.com.

EXUVIANCE is a brand I was recently able to check out, and one of my favorite products amongst the three I tried was their CoverBlend, which is a “concealing treatment makeup” that has SPF20 and is designed to really hide any skin imperfections from tone to ine lines. It is a smudge-resistant cream that lasts throughout the day. It is also water-resistant and non-creasing, which makes it great for even oilier skin types.

I can definitely appreciate a waterproof foundation in the summer months, just on the fact that I’m outdoors, and even if I’m not, I’m likely to sweat between the car and my destination anyway. Something that won’t break down immediately is so appreciated! I don’t know if I’d necessarily sport it to the beach and expect to walk out of the ocean with flawless foundation despite it being water-resistant, though. I interpret water-resistant to simply mean that you can splash your face without any noticeable damage, which is all I really need!

It comes in fourteen shades, and I always point out the availability based on range because it allows for more people to find an appropriate shade that matches them. And I bet you think this is pricey (I don’t know about you, but “Exuviance” as a name conjurs up connotations of luxury!), but it isn’t–get CoverBlend for only $22.50!

I also tried their Evening Restorative Complex ($30.50), as well as the Vespera Bionic Serum ($55.00). I really felt like the serum woke up my face, which is probably the result of all of the anti-oxidants found within this serum. Like most serums, it is pricier because it has more “good” ingredients. Serums are more intense than regular creams, they’re usually in a higher conentrate of the active or helpful ingredients.

Their Evening Restorative Complex was gentle enough for me to use on my skin without any problems, and it has a light scent of apple-citrus that is tolerable. It’s harder for me to judge the effectiveness of this product as I don’t have too many noticeable fine lines or wrinkles. I like that they label this as “Evening”, though, because nothing is better than when a brand takes the guess work out of skincare!

Learn more about or purchase Exuviance products at http://exuviance.com/.

Colored Big Fatty Mascara ($17.00) is Urban Decay’s colored version of their famous Big Fatty mascara.  Colored mascara can be a great way to pop open peepers on lazy days or minimalist days (especially blues/purples).  Wende Zomnir, Urban Decay’s Creative Director, says “A colored mascara is the perfect summer beauty uniform.”  Big Fatty mascara adds decent volume and length to lashes–it’s probably not my favorite mascara formula (Plushlash, love ya!), but I did use it for many months in the past, so obviously it caught my fancy!

• Electric Blue Add a jolt to brown eyes, or light your blue eyes on fire. And against bronzed skin? Mesmerizing.
• Indigo This inky blue, a free-spirited alternative to black, brings a mischievous edge to eyes of any
  shade.
• Purple Haze Lend a violet aura to eyes of every shade, adds richness to brown eyes, or intensifies blues and greens.
• Black Cherry Sexier than basic black, Black Cherry creates a bit of studied mystery to eyes of any color.

Big Buddha Body Brush ($36.00) is a silky soft brush that’s enormous!  It’s one of those brushes that feels so soft to the touch that all you want to do is pet it.  While MAC’s 179 is ridiculously soft, it is also ridiculously expensive.  At $36, the Big Buddha is both the answer to my body brush needs, and the limits of my wallet.  Plus, Good Karma brushes is a cruelty-free line where bristles are synthetic and 100% animal-friendly. 

Want to know what I thought of the rest of Urban Decay’s Summer Launch?  Continue reading »

Prescriptives’ AnyWear Multi-Purpose Makeup Stick ($35.00) is the perfect solution for the gal on the go. When you purchase, you get two tubes of this ultra creamy stick foundation. It’s perfect for travel, because the size is compact (kind of like a fatter lipstick tube!) so you can keep an extra in your purse or at work (heck, even the car) for touch-ups or additional coverage through the day. It is a medium-coverage foundation that allows you to build up from light, and it easily blends into the skin because it is so creamy. It also feels like it kind of melts into the skin (especially when I use a buffer brush to apply it).

It contains both UVA and UVB SPF15 protection, which is a plus for anyone who likes a multi-tasking beauty product. With 24 shades, I’m comfortable saying most readers will be able to find a good color for them. I don’t carry many beauty products in my purse, but I think this one may find its way into it soon. For your reference, I am NC30 in MAC foundations, and I found Y/O Gold (07) to be a pretty good shade for me (I probably could have gone one shade lighter).

Mary Kay Mineral Powder Foundation ($28.00)

The face is like a fresh canvas – Mary Kay® Mineral Powder Foundation provides the ideal base for transforming the face into a masterpiece of color.  The consistency is lightweight and buildable, allowing women to determine their own preferred coverage level and desired color impact.  With a sweep of the brush, the multitasking powder-based foundation glides on easily, blends seamlessly and hugs the skin for long-lasting coverage.  Mary Kay® Mineral Powder Foundation controls shine and instantly conceals minor skin imperfections, helping to create a glamorous finish like those produced by professional makeup artists.

What I liked:  First, I found that Beige 2 was a good color-match for my skintone, and I always seem to have trouble finding a suitable shade when it comes to mineral makeup, so that was a pleasant surprise.  You get a nice amount for the price, and I feel like the jar would last me at least six months, if not more.  Since it is a powder, the shelf life is even better than a liquid foundation, since it is harder (almost impossible) for powders to harber bacteria (which like wet and moist environments, e.g. liquids).  It is incredibly fine milled, making it easier to pick up and buff onto the skin.  The biggest secret to mineral makeup is buffing it into the skin, rather than just placing it on it.  The more you buff, the more it works into the skin and becomes “one” with it (ha!).  It is a soft, buildable mineral foundation, though I would say it tops off at light-medium coverage, so those who want heavy coverage should probably still opt for heavy creams and/or liquids.  
 
What I didn’t like:  Nothing stuck out about this that made me go, “Grr!”  The packaging could be a bit more sleek/aesthetically pleasing, perhaps, but I think that’s such a minor (and not to mention, superficial!) detail that can easily be overlooked.  I think they should promote a buffer brush with this, just because I find that works much better than any other powder brush!  The color range only includes six shades, which makes it fairly limited in my eyes, so I’m not sure how our lightest/darkest ladies will fair in finding an appropriate match.

While I was in New York for Fashion Week, Megan over at Clinique made sure I had a sample of Clinique’s Almost Powder, a new foundation, that also comes with build-in SPF 15.  This product utilizes new technology in pressing and processing that ends up making production take twice as long as a normal powder would.  It’s even produced exclusively in Japan!

I’ve been wearing Almost Powder for the past week or so, and I have to say, I do like it.  I don’t think it is going to replace my holy grail Studio Fix Fluid (liquid), mostly because I like liquid foundation and the coverage.  However, there are many days where SFF is just a tad too heavy, or I’m not really needing a foundation of that nature.  I find Almost Powder perfect for everyday, incredibly natural-looking skin.  The powder is incredibly silky, and it feels lightweight.  The compact includes a sponge, but I also tried Clinique’s powder brush ($30.00) with it.  I found the sponge was better at reducing any “powdery” spots, and it was a lot faster.  I’m personally not a fan of sponge technology (just seems like it is a bacterial growth zone!), so I tend to opt for the brush method.  The brush was SO soft, and I liked it for initial application and buffing later with a buffer brush.

The coverage you get is lightweight to light-medium coverage.  It basically gave me natural coverage, so I didn’t look cakey or really like I was wearing any foundation–which is always a plus.  I would definitely need to look into concealers if I wanted to wear this on more acne-prone days, though, since it covers, but not quite enough (though not many lightweight foundations do this, so it’s not really a negative).

What sells this foundation is how soft it is and how nicely it settles into the skin.  If you’re looking for a more polished look, without looking like you’re wearing makeup, this is right up your alley.  This is perfect for those on-the-go, and anyone who wants to keep foundation light, minimal, but something that works and really evens out skin tone.

Availability:  March 2008 at counters and www.clinique.com, but currently available for preview at QVC.

per-fékt skin perfection gel & body perfection gel

Skin Perfection Gel ($57.50) is designed to act as a “second skin” with enough color to give an “airbrushed finish.”  The product should improve skin tones, even and smooth complextion, and disguise minor imperfections.  There are also some anti-aging and moisturizing benefits wrapped up in this dynamic pseudo-foundation.  It is available in five shades:  translucent, luminous, radiant, rich ideal, and decadent.  It applies easily, and the company recommends using fingertips to pat and smooth onto skin. 

I like that the product is free of oil, parabens, talc, and fragrances.  I loved how smooth my skin felt after application.  It also felt weightless — I really couldn’t tell I was wearing anything on my ace; it felt more like I had just put on a thin layer of moisturizer than a product meant to help even out skin and give the appearance of smoothness while covering a few skin flaws.  In terms of coverage, I could have used more, but I tend to like light to medium coverage.  However, this is such an ideal way to get a flawless skin look with less product.  For those who hate the way foundation feels (cakey and whatnot), Skin Perfection Gel is the solution!  It’s also a great product for summer or lazy days when you want something light, not at all heavy, and something that’s practically grab-and-go.

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