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L’Oreal True Match Roller Foundation

Makeup companies are always looking for new ways to get you to spend your money. Lately it seems like applicator gimmicks are all the rage. Just look at all of the various vibrating mascaras out there!  Anyway, L’Oreal has a new foundation with a new roller applicator: L’Oreal True Match Roller Foundation. It has been in Europe for a while and has just recently arrived in the United States.  I saw a TV commercial for it and was curious, so I picked one up at Walgreens to do a review, where it appears to be pretty popular—I got one of the last few left and was lucky that they had my shade.

Loreal true match roller foundation

The L’Oreal Roller Foundation is a pressed cream foundation. The applicator is a foam brush on a roller. The idea is that you roll the brush over the foundation and then onto your face, which L’Oreal claims will create a streak free airbrushed look. However, that wasn’t exactly the case for me.

The first time that I used it, I found that the foundation went on a bit streaky and I had to smooth it out with my fingers.  I also thought that the roller brush was difficult to use under the eyes and around the nose.  The second time that I used it, I put a lot less on the brush and had less streaks, but didn’t get very good coverage that way.  In both instances though, once I smoothed out a few areas and put on some tinted powder over the foundation, things looked OK.  Not spectacular, but OK.  Coverage is on the sheer side.

The upshot is that I am not particularly impressed with the L’Oreal True Match Roller Makeup. You can get a better look using a standard makeup sponge as an applicator and, at $14 for the foundation, I didn’t think the quality was worth the price.  Basically, there are better drugstore foundations for less. For example, I love Sally Hansen Natural Beauty (link is to previous review). However, there is one upside to the product that will keep me using it on occasion. I like the idea of the applicator being included in the case for travel, since I tend to prefer to not have used makeup sponges floating around in my makeup case. So I’ll save it for that.

Disclosures: Beauty and Fashion Tech at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

Purely Cosmetics Mineral Foundation

Looking for bismuth free, high quality mineral makeup? Purely Cosmetics is the place to go. I gave several of the foundations a try and found that I got the some of the best coverage and overall look from them that I have ever gotten from a lose powder mineral foundation. The foundations are also actually pure. There are no irritants in them, and in particular, there is no bismuth—an ingredient that is present in a large number of mineral foundations, including many that use words such as “pure” in their name or advertising.

Purely Cosmetics Mineral Foundation Purely Cosmetics Mineral Makeup

Pure Mineral Foundation provides smooth coverage with some decent oil absorption—it is recommended for normal to oily skin types. I tried the version with silk powder added, which made for great oil absorption, plus some extra sun protection. I sometimes get a bit shiny by the end of the day with some mineral makeup brands, but not with this foundation.  Coverage was also lovely. The foundation goes on smooth, sits nicely on the skin, and is buildable. I added extra to cover areas of melasma and pigmentation with great success. The foundation lasted all day.

Purely Cosmetics Skin Smoothing Foundation contains silk for hydration, silica to blur fine lines, jojoba, and boron to reduce pore visibility. It is not recommended for very oily skin. It wore pretty much the same for me as the Pure Mineral foundation and  had bit silkier feeling to it. It happened that my skin was being rather oily when testing it though, so the Pure Mineral Foundation worked better for me because it absorbed the oil better, although the skin smoothing foundation still worked pretty darn well for me.

Another Item I really liked was the Silk and Pearl Primer. This interesting powder primer does a bang up job at absorbing oil. I played with it both by using it with mineral makeup and, despite its marketing as a primer, with using it on top of liquid foundation. It  worked well for both.  Purely Cosmetics also has an interesting looking finishing powder, but I didn’t give that one a try.

Purely Cosmetics also has a nice line of brushes (the flat top foundation brush works great), brush covers ( a great travel accessory), eye shadows, and more. I will discuss the eye shadows in a later review. All products are affordable and of better quality than a number of more expensive brands. Starter kits and samples are also available. I highly recommend them!

Disclosures: Beauty and Fashion Tech at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

M.A.C Cosmetics Well Defined Collection

MAC has a pretty good new foundation and concealer out as part of their Well Defined collection. The Studio Sculpt foundation incorporates silicone, which I particularly like. It also includes SPF 15. In addition, the collection has a full coverage Studio Sculpt concealer.

MAC Srudio Sculpt Foundation Concealer

From the company literature:

Well-Defined brings to life over two years of work backstage in the lab to perfect our newest foundation and concealer.  Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation is a rich, luxurious Cream Foundation in tube.  This lush uniquely textured foundation delivers ultimate hydration while instantly revitalizing dull and dry skin.  Smooth and even application yields a medium buildable coverage with a natural-satin finish.  It’s paired with Studio Sculpt Concealer, which provides full-coverage that never becomes dry and cakey with a gel-based cream formula slips onto skin, effortlessly hiding imperfections.

Look for the MAC Well Defined collection beginning February 7, 2009. Also, don’t forget that the Hello Kitty collection will be available shortly after that (I’m saving all of my monthly cosmetics budget for that one!)

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Disclosures: Beauty and Fashion Tech at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page