Foundation

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation: Buy Immediately!

Posted on April 5, 2010 by daneen in Fabuless Pick of the Week, Foundation | Leave a comment

No offense to mass market makeup, but with its new Photo Ready Foundation, Revlon just brought drugstore foundation out of the dark ages. In fact, many prestige brands could learn a lot from this particular foundation. Priced at around $13.99, Photo Ready is worth two or three times that.

For a few months, I’ve been hearing Revlon Photo Ready Foundation being touted as the discount version of my beloved Make Up For Ever’s HD Foundation. I kinda dismissed it as hype, until I tried it last week. While there are a lot of similarities, there are some differences too – namely, the price (HD Foundation costs $40).

Photo Ready, like MUFE’s HD Foundation, gives the skin an airbrushed look. It looks even more flawless when applied with a foundation brush or, my fave, the beautyblender sponge. The coverage is medium to full – and I find that when I use it, I don’t really have to use concealer. It’s that good. Where Photo Ready differs from MUFE’s HD Foundation is that it has a dewy finish; so if you like a more matte look, MUFE might be the way to go. My skin is on the oilier side, and I happen to love Photo Ready. It gives me perfect looking skin with a healthy glow, without it veering into oil slick territory.

Photo Ready wears well all day long, and feels very light; I often forget I’m even wearing it. I also appreciate that it doesn’t oxidize and change color after a few hours – as that has happened with many foundations I’ve tried.

And before you ask me if gals with problem skin can tolerate this product, I’ll tell you…the answer is a resounding YES. My skin is acne prone and likes to stage a mutiny every time I turn around, but Photo Ready has not caused an adverse reaction.

The only category where MUFE HD Foundation wins hands down is in the color options (Photo Ready has 12 shades and MUFE HD has 25). And it’s too bad that you can’t really test Photo Ready in the store (at least, there were no testers at the drugstore where I bought my bottle) – so you sort of have to take a leap of faith when you choose a shade. Personally, I spent about five minutes deliberating between Rich Ginger and Caramel. Then I noticed that the display had a photo of Halle Berry modeling the product and the caption read “Halle is wearing Rich Ginger.” Halle and I have the same skin color (lucky me), so that’s what I chose – and it was a perfect match. If I get some sun this summer, I may purchase Caramel and blend the two.

So, bottom line, this is one of the best foundations I’ve tried in a long time – on account of its performance and price. If you’re in the market for new foundation, you’d be a fool not to check it out.

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation is my Recessionista’s Fabuless Pick of the Week.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation Plus Orgasm Illuminator Equals Perfection

Posted on March 1, 2010 by daneen in Face, Fashion Week, Foundation, Highlighter | Leave a comment

I’m not much of a cook, but I’ve got one heck of a recipe for ya…

Yesterday, my boo took me out for breakfast. As we sat across the table from each other, Graham kept gushing about my complexion. “Your skin looks amazing. Really, you’re glowing…it looks so fresh and healthy.” That’s when I really started beaming, as Mr. Spoiled Pretty throws around compliments like manhole covers (his euphemism, not mine).

So what’s my secret? Unfortunately, this time, it had nothing to do with the pregnancy hormones. This glow was a gift from NARS. A few weeks ago when I was in NYC for Fashion Week, I had an opportunity to meet with the NARS team – and I got color matched by James Boehmer, NARS International Lead Makeup Stylist. NARS gifted me with their Sheer Matte and Sheer Glow foundations in Cadiz (medium-dark with caramel and red undertones) – which was a PERFECT match, by the by.

Anyways, so my glow yesterday was the result of the Sheer Glow Foundation mixed with the new Orgasm Illuminator. Here’s the recipe: mix 2 parts foundation with 1 part Orgasm Illuminator, and apply with a brush or sponge (I recommend the beautyblender). Then go somewhere where your beauty can be truly appreciated, and wait for the compliments to start flying.

Glo-oh-ow get ‘em, girl.

PS – I want to take this opportunity to give a big shout out to NARS for their wide range of foundation shades. Far too often, women with deeper complexions find themselves forgotten by makeup brands. Not so with NARS. I’m so glad to have found this foundation. I encourage you to go to your nearest NARS counter or Sephora store and get color matched too. I guarantee you won’t be able to leave empty-handed.

Makeup Mondays With Mario: Tips For Rosacea

Posted on February 1, 2010 by daneen in Beauty Tips, Foundation, Makeup Mondays with Mario, Mario Dedivanovic, Rosacea | Leave a comment

Celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic is answering your burning beauty questions!!! Every Monday, he will answer a beauty/skin care question as part of a weekly column on Spoiled Pretty, Makeup Mondays with Mario.

Hello Mario,

I’m amazed by your work and am a fan. I was hoping you could help me with my makeup problem. I’m a rosacea sufferer and makeup is a big problem for me. My cheeks are always red as if I have permanent blush on. I’ve tried using green concealer and/or yellow concealer to help cover the redness, but haven’t had much success (maybe it is a technique issue). I also haven’t been able to find a foundation to match my skin. I’m not exactly sure what the best approach is to match my skin tone. I find that I get the weird clown face effect and I don’t know how to combat that. So any tips on how to wear makeup for rosacea sufferers would be great.

Thanks, Mitch J.

Thanks, Mitch! I know that rosacea sufferers have it more difficult then others when trying to cover up and even out the skin. I have worked many times with different women who have rosacea. ‘Less is more’ works best for this. Definitely go for a liquid foundation or tinted moisturizer and use minimal loose powder on the skin. Apply the foundation with a damp sponge by pressing it onto the skin. Try not to rub it too much.

You may want to add a bit of your makeup to the neck area as well and see if you still are not happy with the shade. To prevent the clown look, go with a deeper color foundation and make sure the powder is not too light. I’m sure you will find an easy solution so that makeup time is a good time! Thanks for visiting Makeup Mondays with Mario!

xo,
Mario

Got a question for Mario? Email your makeup and skin care queries to spoiledprettyquestions@gmail.com, and check back next Monday to read Mario’s expert advice!

I TEMPTU. Do You?

Posted on November 29, 2009 by daneen in Blush, Foundation, Highlighter, Holy Grail, Tools | Leave a comment

I recently received the TEMPTU Airbrush Makeup System to test and review for Spoiled Pretty, and I’m really dreading having to give it back. That’s how amazing it is. Watch the video to find out why I’m awarding TEMPTU with ‘holy grail’ status.

TEMPTU is a great holiday beauty gift (the recipient would love you forever). The TEMPTU Airbrush Makeup System is available at Sephora and costs $225. A duo of foundation pods (there are 12 shades) costs $55. Blush pods (4 shades) are $30 and highlighter pods (4 shades) are $35 each.

For more expert gift picks, check out Spoiled Pretty’s 2009 Holiday Beauty Gift Guide!

Makeup Mondays With Mario: Keeping Foundation On Your Face

Posted on November 9, 2009 by daneen in Beauty Tips, Foundation, Makeup Mondays with Mario, Mario Dedivanovic | Leave a comment

Mario,

I have a foundation that I love, but it seems to get on everything! I work in an office and tend to pass around papers that have brown smudges on them whenever I wear that foundation. Is there anything I can do to keep the foundation on my face and not on everything else? -Khalia
Khalia,

I can totally sympathize with you, as someone that constantly gets makeup “spots” on just about everything. Here’s how to keep your foundation on your face and off the paper work:

Try using a oil free moisturizer if you aren’t already. Makeup that smears off the skin easily probably isn’t being set well. With a velour powder puff, set your makeup by pressing translucent loose powder all over face after foundation. If this doesn’t help, you can try a makeup sealer. They come in spray bottles and help keep everything in place. Lastly and most important – try to stop touching your face! If you didn’t touch your face, your hands wouldn’t get makeup on them. It’s a hard habit to break, but not impossible.

Hope this helps you out. Thanks for visiting Makeup Mondays with Mario!xo,
MarioGot a question for Mario? Email your makeup and skin care queries to spoiledprettyquestions@gmail.com, and check back next Monday to read Mario’s expert advice!

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Three Custom Color Specialists Make QVC Debut

Posted on August 16, 2009 by daneen in Concealer, Foundation | Leave a comment

Trae Bodge, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Three Custom Color Specialists, debuts the brand’s signature Creme Concealer/Foundation on “Beauty Newsmakers Face-to-Face” on QVC, Tuesday, August 18th from 10-11pm.

This makeup artist’s secret weapon is available in 10 shades on QVC.com (6 to be demonstrated on-air) and is appropriate for all skin types. It’s truly all you’ll ever need to hide marks, conceal dark circles and create gorgeous, even-looking skin.

To use as foundation: full coverage – apply with a dry sponge, foundation brush or fingers, pushing into the skin. Moisten sponge or brush for medium coverage. For sheer coverage, mix with your face cream to create a tinted moisturizer. To use as a concealer: after applying the foundation layer, revisit areas that require more coverage with a concealer brush or fingers. Tap into place.

Check out Trae in action, demonstrating more Creme Concealer/Foundation application tips and tricks on “Beauty Newsmakers Face-to-Face” August 18th on QVC!.

YSL Fall 2009

Posted on August 5, 2009 by daneen in Blush, Eye Shadow, Foundation, Highlighter, Lips, Lipstick, Mascara, Nail Polish, Nails | Leave a comment

YSL Fall 2009 Beauty Collection: Inspired by the YSL Fall RTW Fashion collection of exquisite tailoring with sumptuous textures, a flawless complexion is offset by magnetic pearl grey eyes and intense plum lips.

FACE:
* Perfect Touch Radiant Brush Foundation
* Touche Éclat Radiant Touch in Luminous Radiance
* Palette Y Collector Palette for the Complexion (limited edition)
* Crème de Blush Cream Blush in Powdery Rose (limited edition)