Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation - Reviewed

I'm sad to say at the age of twenty, I'm still searching for my Holy Grail foundation. One that offers great coverage, gives a dewy look without the oil and stays put all day - not too much to ask it is? I'd come to the end of my Max Factor Facefinity (which is good but the closest shade is too pink for me)  and my EL Doublewear samples were getting low so I trailed fellow blogs in search of a new one. One product that kept appearing was Vichy's Dermablend Corrective Foundation. Everyone was raving about it's longevity and amazing coverage, some blogs even said they noticed in improvement in their skin. I contacted the company myself and they informed me that they are completely against animal testing which I was really pleased about.

You won't find this foundation alongside the rest of the make-up, it's sneakily hidden away with the skin care. It's designed to cover minor to major skin concerns, from a few spots to rosacea. My skin has improved a lot over the past few years so my it isn't in need of serious coverage however I like to have a medium to full coverage with my foundation. What attracted me to this product was that it supposedly lasts 16 hours and gives great coverage without feeling like a mask. At £15.50, it's on the high end on the low end price wise so I thought I'd give it a shot. Oh by the way, I think it's important to point out for reference that I have combination skin which has been quite oily recently. This is how I got on with Dermablend...

The Good

I opted for the palest shade, Opal 15. I'll be honest, when I initially squeezed it out, it looked much too dark for my skin. However, once I applied it, the colour surprised me as suited my skin very well. As I mentioned, my previous foundation was a little pink and made me look redder than I am but this one is more yellow in colour and makes me look what I can only describe as healthy. I kept catching my reflection in the mirror and was stunned at the glow it has given me. I usually stipple my make-up on but with this, I've found it's better to apply it in gentle strokes and add a dusting of powder to set if your shinier.
It's quite thick in consistency which I actually prefer to a more liquid foundation. It is easier to sweep over your face and you don't have to work too quickly with it. It also means you don't need a lot to cover your entire face. It feel very hydrating on the skin and unlike others I've used, doesn't settle into the pores. It immediately looks flawless and the coverage is great, I didn't even need to use a concealer for my dark circles.
Now for the big one - does it last? Without the powder, it looked okay for about ten hours, but the shine showed through. After that, it began to shift around the oily area of my nose and cheeks - it still looked okay but not as immaculate as when it was first applied. I expected this, not even Doublewear provides me with flawlessly matt skin without a small dusting of powder. With powder it lasts all day and looks flawless, it's given me the best coverage and look than any other foundation I've tried. I also contacted them personally and found out that they are against animal testing which is great!

The Bad
As I mentioned, I first tried the foundation without any powder just to see how it fared with an oilier skin type solo. After a few hours, I noticed it let through a little more shine then I'd have liked. Although the coverage was still intact, there was a considerable amount of shine on my forehead and chin, and a little around the corners of my nose. Having said that, with a little bit of powder dusted on top, it looks great. If you have dry skin I can't see this being a huge issue but if you're in the oilier side, definitely use a powder to set it. By the way, I use Natural Collection Translucent powder in Cool. It's cheap but does the trick.
When applied, it does feel like I'm wearing something on my face; it's not especially heavy but it's definitely not the lightest foundation I've tried. It has a strong scent that's reminiscent of paint. It doesn't cause a huge issue, it's just during the application that you notice the smell. I noticed this with Doublewear foundation also, I figured it's because they are both quite thick and designed to last a while. I could see how this could put some people off but it doesn't bother me very much.
The packaging isn't really my cup of tea; it looks like a moisturiser or hand cream. I'm a sucker for pretty products and this isn't exactly going to look great on my dressing table. There also isn't a huge choice of skin tones, only five to choose from. I honestly can't see how they can go from pale white to black skin in just five colours, it just isn't going to work. I've been quite lucky with my match but I bet others have a really tough time finding a suitable shade.

The Bottom Line
After road-testing this product for about a month,  I must say I've found a new favourite foundation. It makes my skin look poreless and although I haven't noticed my skin improving, my skin hasn't been breaking out either. With a little powder, it looks great and makes me feel really confident. Plus they aren't against Animal Testing, which is what sold the last star it for me! Is it my HG foundation. Hmm... it is for now!

Rating
★★★★★

You can pick this up at Boots, just remember to look in the skincare aisle, you'll find it!
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Also guys I wrote an article for Vanity Hype's online blog, all about Christmas Jumpers. Check it out here 

Philosophy Mini Miracles - Reviewed

I visited London recently for my friend's 21st birthday. We were taking the obligatory stroll down Oxford Street when we were approached by a friendly woman who offered us free Philosophy goodie bags. I'd never heard of this brand before so I was intrigued. I received three products in total.

 Purity 3 in 1

It's quite a runny consistency, but as you massage it into your face it gets a thicker creamier texture. In all honestly, I wasn't crazy about this to begin with, it felt a little heavy, it kind of felt like I was rubbing Vaseline onto my skin. However it rinsed off easily and left my skin feel rather refreshed. 

The next day my recent breakout looked much flatter and calmer. I don't know whether this was a coincidence, my skin has random off and on day so I will have to test this further to see if it really does help. Overall, I'm pretty impressed with this product; I'll definitely finish up my sample and if it continues to do good for me I may consider purchasing the full size bottle.

Rating:

★★★★★

Exfoliating wash

Again, this product is surprising runny, rare for an exfoliator but I really like the consistency. The micro beads are very fine and it feels really light when you massage the wash into your skin, quite relaxing really. I'm not crazy about the scent - it's very faint and I can't quite put my finger on what it smells like. I feel it's a scent that would appeal to older women but I wouldn't say it was particularly nice. However, I guess it's good that it's not heavily perfumed like most skincare products.

It made my skin feel incredibly soft which makes me feel like it's actually doing it's job of buffing away old skin. I think so far I'd rate this exfoliating wash over my current regular Soap & Glory's Scrub Your Nose In It, which I find to be a bit harsh.

Rating:

★★★★★

Amazing Grace perfume

The goodie bag contained a small sample of Philosophy's new perfume Amazing Grace. The bottle for the actual product is very simple and understated. They call it a 'clean floral scent' and I would say this is a pretty accurate description. It's very feminine but not girly; it feels sophisticated and is definitely more of a day perfume than night. 

Amazing Grace is pretty scent but again I feel like it's for the more mature lady. It's a little musky for my taste and I associate that with the older demographic. It sort of reminds me of laundry detergent; it's a little soapy smelling, which reminds me of my Grandma who'd probably love it. If you're a fan of grown-up musky smells then don't let this discourage you. Perfume tastes are very personal and I'm afraid this one didn't really do it for me. It is pleasant enough but just not for me.

Rating:

★★★★★

Overall my favourite product was the exfoliating wash - it felt gentler and less harsh than others I've tried. As for the others, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by what I've seen from the cleanser. My skin doesn't often agree with them but so far it seems to be doing it some good, or at the very least, not causing further breakouts. Although I'm not a fan of powdery perfumes, I think girls who are would like this floral scent and it would make a good present for mothers and grandmothers.

Have you tried any products from Philosophy?

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Garnier Moisture Match Shine Be Gone - Reviewed.

Oh the search for the perfect moisturiser. It's ongoing, right? One leaves your face flaking and the other feels like you're rubbing on chip fat.  I have normal to combination skin, but recently my current moisturiser (Simple's Hydrating Light moisturiser) leaves me with quite a few dry patches after applying foundation so I decided it was time to shop around for a new one. I'm sure many of you will have probably heard of Garnier's new range of facial Moisture Match moisturisers, which claim to be tailor made to all different skin types. I decided to give them a whirl.

 I originally purchased Start A Fresh for normal to dry skin but realised from first use it was not for me. It didn't feel as though it had sank into my skin at all, and left my face rather shiny. Obviously the wrong choice for me. My sister, who has fairly dry skin, is now using it and says it works perfectly for her. So dry-skinned ladies, this is rated. Try it.

So onto my review of Shine Be Gone...

The Good

The thing that originally put me off purchasing this one in the beginning was that my face is not necessarily shiny and I was worried it would leave my skin with no glow and banish the 'dewy' look I like. I can say that so far this hasn't been a problem. It does make the oilier parts of my face look less shiny but still leaves me with a nice glow.

I also noticed how quickly it absorbed, almost instantly I was ready to apply foundation. Unlike my old moisturiser, my whole face feels soft and moisturised, with no tight, dry areas, and the feeling really lasts. I used to notice the skin above and between my eyebrows would flake and dry out even after moisturising especially carefully. So far, this hasn't been an issue at all. I also had some really dry patches on the side of my face that Simple's moisturiser just couldn't handle. No exaggeration, after one use of Shine Be Gone, they have well and truly disappeared. Impressive.

 I really love the smell of this; so fresh, like cucumbers. The sorbet texture was quite unexpected - a kind of whipped foamy formula, but feels very pleasant on the face, it's almost cooling. I also really like the colour, not really a pro, but green is my favourite, which makes it even more appealing to me ☺

The Bad

Although it does mop up the majority of shine on my face, I am curious about how it would fare on someone with a lot of excess oil. This isn't really a bad point, I just wonder if it would be as effective on quite greasy skin. In my opinion, I think it would work fine, as it really does seem to keep unwanted shine at bay. Although, I have noticed a teeny bit of shine reappearing on my forehead after the day is done. If you pick this up, let me know how you get on!

 I do wish there was more of this; true, a little goes a long way, but it kind of looks like a travel sized moisturiser. When you first apply it, it doesn't feel like you're putting on enough, but only a small amount is required. One other qualm I have is not with this particular moisturiser but with the collection in general. I really wish they had created a normal to combination formula, that way I'd know I was getting exactly what my skin needs, but perhaps normal/combination is more obscure than the other types? I don't know anyone else with such specific skin. Trust me to be awkward. However so far Shine Be Gone has been suiting me fine, so it's not a huge problem. 

The Bottom Line

This moisturiser has a lovely light texture that sinks into the skin in seconds and still manages to banish stubborn dry areas without leaving skin oily. If you're like me with normal/combination skin, I'm certain this will work for you. Reading other reviews, I think it'll be just as good for regular ol' combination and oily skins. Could do with being a bit bigger, but you only need to use a little at a time. Will be repurchasing. Get it at Superdrug where right now it's on sale for £3.99.

Rating

★★★★★