Thanks for the Beautiful Canvas: Nine Products for Complexion Perfection
A Week of Gratitude
No-Fail Base & Complexion Favorites
Those who may check out the what-I’m-wearing product lists attached to various review posts may have seen a pattern develop… For the last month or two, I’ve been primarily wearing Too Faced’s Born This Way foundation, which I tried again recently after they launched the Born This Way Concealer (also on this list). I usually mix two shades together, Almond and something, Ivory if I want to go a little lighter for my mix or Warm Nude for more warmth/depth. With the foundation, I dab Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter on my forehead, down my nose, chin, and cheeks in Light (2) or Light/Medium(3). Kevyn Aucoin’s Celestial was what I often reached for to mix in with my foundation for a luminous finish and runs a bit more golden compared to the Charlotte Tilbury shades I’ve tried (but they’re all fairly translucent).
I often use Laura Mercier’s Translucent Setting Powder, particularly if I want a more matte finish, all-over or Hourglass’ Diffused Light for a more natural finish or Luminous Light for a natural finish and more warmth. When I want a little depth and subtle color (not quite a contour but not quite a blush either), I use Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze & Glow (just the sculpt side) or Hourglass Diffused Bronze Light.
Hourglass Diffused Light
Diffused Light is a translucent, yellowed beige with subtle, warm undertones and a natural finish. As a finishing powder, it had translucent coverage... Read full review.
Charlotte Tilbury Light (2)
Charlotte Tilbury Light (2) Hollywood Flawless Filter ($44.00 for 1.00 fl. oz.) is a soft peach with warmer, yellow undertones and a soft, luminous... Read full review.
Hourglass Luminous Light
Hourglass Luminous Light Ambient Lighting Powder ($45.00 for 0.35 oz.) is described as a "champagne pearl." It's a... Read full review.
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow ($65.00 for 0.56 oz.) is compact that features a bronzer and a highlighter. I can see why this is one of the... Read full review.
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial
Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Skin Liquid Illuminating Emulsion ($52.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) is supposed to be a... Read full review.
Too Faced Almond
Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder
Too Faced Almond
Hourglass Diffused Bronze Light
Hourglass Diffused Bronze Light Ambient Lighting Bronzer ($50.00 for 0.39 oz.) is a muted, medium, rosy brown with neutral-to-warm undertones and a... Read full review.
Beautiful face products there Christine and you always look lovely in the photos.
I am thankful for foundations that are porcelain with the pink undertones. Sometimes it’s tricky to get the undertones right because so many porcelain foundations have either neutral or yellowy undertones in them.
I am impressed with the new L’Oreal True Match range, that has extended to more than 40 shades – very inclusive of a DS range. It’s lightweight, feels like silk and has a true pink undertone in their ivory range.
I really like the Rimmel Insta Matte translucent powder as a setting powder too.
Thanks for the heads up about L’Oreal True Match!
Great! I have all of these except for the Too Faced products. I’ve been using La Mer Fluid Foundation.
Nice!
Beautiful face products! I used Luminous light for my wedding and loved the effect 🙂 I really like Charlotte Tilbury’s airbrush flawless finish for a setting powder too.
The Born this way Foundation is on its way to me. Very excited to try it. At the Moment I am using the nyx can’t stop won’t stop Foundation which works really good for me. The lightest shade is a perfect match and the first foundation I can use without lighten it with white Foundation and without correcting it with a lavender concealer which I normally use to take away the yellow undertone most foundations have. My favourite powder is the Maybelline fit me powder in the pressed version but I like the loose one, too, it is so fine.
I do not know if it fits in this category but as it is also a face product: do you use fixing spray Christine ?
This summer was one of the hottest in Germany so I started using fixing spray. I have tried some but have no favourite one yet as I find they all work really good. Cannot Tell big differences.
Love reading about what you’re loving! I have to look for products with a pinky undertone in super fair colors, and I’ve been so bummed about Too Faced – even their new pinky shades oxidize horribly (I got some samples). I did try the concealer and loved the formulation but couldn’t wear the colors. Boo. But I’ve been loving the luminous silk foundation and just tried the make up forever hd one – both with lovely pinky undertones that are lightweight. I’m so thankful for Sephora’s color match for foundations! I need to check out your color matching system here! :o) Love the Laura Mercier powder, too!
Like Genvieve, I have fair skin with pink undertones but I often want to “tone down” that pink so I’m so glad I have Diorskin Forever in #14, which is said to cancel out redness. I also really like the Hourglass Veil loose powder. I have several of their pressed Ambient Light powders (a trio and a full sized “Ethereal”, which I use to set my under eye concealer). Laura Mercier’s loose powder is a stand-by in my makeup drawer as it is for many, I think. I got samples of 3 shades of the Born this Way foundation (on one of those cardboard “cards” where you peel off the plastic) and for me, it was one of the worst foundations I’d ever tried. Oh, I also have to give a tip of the had to Clarins Skin Illusion foundation. I think it’s been reformulated/renamed but I still have a bottle of the original and I love it.
I LOVE that you’ve done this Christine! I will definitely be trying some of these, funds permitting! Just to clarify, are you using Flawless Filter ‘in place’ of Kevin Aucoin’s Celestial? Ive been wanting to try Flawless Filter for ages but was a bit worried as I’m definitely on the oily side. I also want to invest in some Hourglass products so was going to try one of the palettes that are currently out. Any recommendations for which would be best for a light/medium skin type xx
Nice! I keep randomly forgetting and then remembering my Hourglass Ambient Light. I was having minor issues with texture and some dryness last year and stopped using the Hourglass powder because it didn’t look right over my irritated skin, so I fell out of the habit of using it. I have a setting mist now that does a really acceptable job of bringing everything together, and it tends to tone down any texture issues, so I should definitely break out the Ambient Light again.
Christine, one question…..do you use the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood WITH the Kevin Aucoin or in place of? I couldn’t quite grasp what you meant (and I’m making every effort to follow this word for word!) xx
I’d only use one or the other, but I use them the same way (usually mixed with foundation – I do the mixing as I’m applying, e.g. I do dabs of the luminizer all over my face and dabs of my liquid foundation, then brush and spread everything etc. simultaneously).