Makeup | Beauty and Fashion Tech

Makeup Forever Duo Mat Powder Foundation

Makeup Forever Powder Foundation is my new favorite! I have been looking for some time for the perfect pressed mineral makeup foundation. Then I branched out into looking at powder foundation in general, without focusing on whether they were classified as “mineral makeup.” That is when I found MAKE UP FOR EVER Duo Mat Powder Foundation.

Makeup Forever has really been impressing me lately and their duo mat foundation is the best pressed powder foundation that I have tried yet. I liked Amazing Cosmetics Mineral Foundation (link is to previous review) quite a bit, but Makeup Forever tops it for three reasons: First, it covers better. Second, it wears longer. Third, the included applicator is actually pretty good. I highly recommend Makeup Forever powder foundation for melasma sufferers and can pretty much guarantee that it will appear on my year-end best products list.

Makeup Forever Duo Mat Foundation comes packaged in a mirrored compact with a sponge applicator. Coverage from this foundation when applied with the sponge applicator is medium to full. Use a brush for a more sheer look. Because this powder foundation covers very well, it is perfect for those with melasma, hyperpigmentation, or redness, who have difficult areas to conceal. It is also oil free, and I have had no problems with it on my acne prone skin. In fact, as discussed below, I particularly recommend this one for people with oily skin becasue it contains mattifiers.

The look from Makeup Forever Duo Mat Foundation is also nicely matte. I often get annoyed with mineral foundations because mineral makeup tends to be on the shiny and shimmery side, especially if it contains bismuth—an ingredient that can also cause skin irritation in some people. Makeup Forever Duo Mat Foundation is not just oil and bismuth free, it also contains ingredients to absorb oil and sebum to retain a matte look. However, the product does not feel drying, thanks to an anti-dehydrating agent. Those with oily skin will likely appreciate this powder foundation the most, but it certainly would be wearable by those with normal and even dry skin, especially if a moisturizer was applied first. People with dry skin would likely be happier with a liquid or cream foundation though.

Makeup Forever powder foundation is not streaky and wears most of the day for me without needing reapplication. Frankly, it is the best powder foundation that I have tried yet and I imagine it will be hard to find one that beats it. It gets excellent reviews online at Sephora as well.

You can find Makeup Forever at Sephora stores for $32. I bought mine in the store. If you shop online, the color names are pretty accurate (e.g. my ivory is a standard ivory), but the shade swatches there look pinker than the actual product is. Sephora does take returns of open products if you order online and end up with the wrong shade.

Note, this article uses affiliate links, for more please see my disclosure page.

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Best Affordable Makeup Series: Best Drugstore Blush

Readers often ask about the best drugstore makeup or affordable cosmetics, and a previous syndicated post on the best drugstore mascara has been rather popular here on the site. So,welcome to the first installment of series on drugstore makeup. Today, I take a look at some of the best drugstore blush items. Plus, I will tell you a few I thought were duds. Over the coming weeks I will write more on the best affordable makeup in other categories.

When it comes to finding the best drugstore blush, there area few key considerations. The best powder blush will have good pigment concentration for lasting color, be finely milled for good blending, and have a pleasing shade. The best cream blush will also have good pigment and will be soft and creamy. Where drugstore makeup brands often fail is in using little pigment and more fillers. When that happens, the product might look quite lovely in the package, but won’t actually wear well when applied. It will either be too light, wear off too fast, or both. Also, don’t get fooled by the name “mineral blush.” Some mineral makeup products are wonderful because they pack in mineral pigments with few fillers, but others will dilute the blend with fillers to the point that the product is not very well pigmented. Most mineral makeup items will also contain bismuth, which is an irritant for some people. That is true both at the drugstore and premium levels of cosmetics.

Below are a few drugstore blushes that do particularly well in terms of pigment and long wear. Although I have provided some affiliate links to the products, you should also be able to find them in drugstores or big box stores.

Best Powder Drugstore Blush

There is no need to spend extra for a good cheek color. Several companies make highly pigmented blush that rivals, or is even better than, many higher end and luxury cosmetics brands. I particularly like Milani Mineral Blush, despite that it includes bismuth as an ingredient.

Milani Mineral Blush is the best pigmented drugstore blush that I have found. It is also talc free—something rare for a drugstore blush. However, a word of warning, instead of being cut with talc, it uses bismuth, which some people are sensitive too. It is very well pigmented and comes in a variety of lovely shades. At just under $6, you can’t beat Milani for value. Milani’s Mineral Blush is honestly better than a number of high end items that I have tried. If you are a Nars Orgasm fan, look in stores for the shade Luminous (which I linked to). It is essentially the same as Nars Orgasm with perhaps slightly more shimmer, but much more affordable. By the way, also check out Milani eye shadows, they too are highly pigmented and are top on my list of best drugstore eye shadows.

Jane Blushing Cheeks is very affordable at $3.69 and has decent pigment, wears well, and comes in some nice shades. Jane also has a Nars Orgasm clone. Look for the shade Blushing Earth, which is almost a dead ringer for it. Jane cosmetics are pretty good all around, but their blush is my favorite item from them. For more see my previous review: Jane Cosmetics Blush.

Revlon ColorStay Cheek Color Mineral Blush is at the higher price range for a drugstore cheek color. At around $13, it comes in cheaper than higher end lines, but frankly, I recommend Milani and Jane before it because of their incredible prices. regardless, Revlon Mineral Blush is a darn nice blush. Although not talc free like Milani, it is still high in pigment and it blends and wears very nicely.

Best Cream Drugstore Blush

I have not fared as well at finding a quality affordable cream blush. Many seem to lack pigment or simply don’t wear as long as some of my favorite department store brands (Estee Lauder and Nars are a couple of favorites). I do, however, particularly recommend Maybelline Dream Mousse, which I prefer over many of the higher end brands. The entire Maybelline Dream Mousse line is rather nice. My other recommendations from Revlon and Sally Hansen Natural Beauty also fare pretty well

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush is one of my all time favorites. Dream Mousse has a light texture (hence the mousse name) that makes it blend incredibly well. It is also seriously packed with pigment. If you want a good cream color, this it the way to go. At around $6 it is also an incredible value. For yet another Nars Orgasm look, check out the shade Peach Satin.

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Blush (link is to previous review) has a good texture and decent pigment. It also comes in some particularly pretty shades. I like the Sally Hansen line as a whole and their powder version is also pretty good.

Revlon Cream Blush blends nicely and lasts pretty well. It is not as highly pigmented as some higher end brands that I have tried, but then again, I prefer my cream blush to be on the sheer side anyway. It builds fairly well for extra color and usually lasts all day. Revlon also leaves out the shimmer, which I appreciate. For more see my previous review: Revlon Cream Blush

A Few Duds

Just as there are some good drugstore makeup bargains, there are some items that just don’t cut it. A few that I didn’t care for were Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Blush (the one with loose powder and built in brush) which, although easy to use, took the word “sheer” to a whole new level by being barely visible on the face and wearing off quickly. Almay and Physician’s Formula blushes have also not fared as well with me for the same reason—there simply is not enough pigment.

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Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Eyeliner and Swatches

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Eyes are, in my opinion, the absolute best eyeliners out there. As you can see from the swatches, Aqua Eyes are seriously waterproof, sometimes wonderfully luminous, other times perfectly matte, highly pigmented, and they come in 25 shades. They are soft and apply wonderfully. There is no tugging or pulling involved with Makeup Forever eyeliners. As a result, they tend to be highly rated. Although waterproof and smudge proof, if you smudge the eyeliners right away, you can blend them. But they do set quickly.

I played with a bunch of Makeup Forever eyeliners at Sephora and took these Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes swatches, which represent 16 of the shades:

Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Swatches from left to right: Iridescent Navy Blue 3L, Champagne 23L, Gold 9L, Turquoise 7L, Pistachio 17L, Light Brown 19L, Bronze 10L, Pearly Brown 2L, Shimmering Plum 4L, Bronze Green 5L, Black Purple 6L (I think, not guaranteed on that one), Purple 11L, Blue with green Highlights 12L, Light Taupe 24L, Burgundy 18L, and Silver 8L.

I hadn’t played with Makeup Forever much before that Sephora field trip and I ended up rather impressed, not just with Aqua Eyes, but also with some of Makeup Forever’s other cosmetics. I purchased a powder foundation that I love and will review soon. I also tried some of the lip products and was left wishing that my budget could accommodate a bit more shopping.

Much to my amusement, when I later tried to wash the swatches off in a restroom, they proved just how waterproof Aqua Eyes are. The makeup swatches wouldn’t budge! I didn’t want to trudge back to Sephora for makeup remover, so I just went home with lovelyeyeliner swatches on my arm for the world to see. Once home, I removed the swatches with Exuviance Gentle Creme Eye Makeup Remover, which took them off in seconds, so there is another shout out for that very nice eye makeup remover! You can read my previous review here: Bioelements Gentle Creme Eye Makeup Remover. Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Collector Set

If you are looking for a serious splurge, Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes are available in a set: MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Eyes Collector Set, which at $249 is actually a darn good deal considering if sold separately the eyeliners would be worth $425. But you can by them individually for $17 each: MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Eyes.

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Revlon New Complexion One Step Foundation

Awhile back I was in Vegas and realized that I had left my makeup bag sitting at home. Now, a girl can’t be in Vegas without makeup, so I popped into a CVS and grabbed a few items to get me through the trip and purposely picked out things I had not tried before so that I could review them.

For foundation, I grabbed Revlon New Complexion One Step Oil Free Makeup With SPF 15. This is a cream to powder type of foundation. The foundation comes in a compact that flips up to expose an included sponge applicator—something else I needed since I left mine at home! Overall, the Revlon New Complexion Foundation wore fairly well. It wasn’t the best I have ever tried, but I liked it fine. Coverage was medium, and it stayed put for most of the day. I didn’t experience any breakouts or serious issues with it. Mostly, the color wasn’t perfect. What I hate about shopping for drugstore products is the general inability to test the times in the store.

At $12, the price is OK. I don’t know if I would buy the Revlon foundation again, but it certainly was perfectly serviceable, and I liked that it came with a sponge applicator, which is always good when traveling.

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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.

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.

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Julia Roberts at the Golden Globes. Makeup by Lancome

Julia Roberts had a fresh and pretty makeup look for the Golden Globes.

67th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Arrivals

Celebrity makeup artist Genevieve created her look:

First, Genevieve applied Lancôme Bienfait Multi Vital Teinté to Julia’s flawless complexion. Just a hint of color was applied to the cheeks with Lancôme Color Design Cream Blush in Petticoat Pink. Genevieve used her finger to apply and pressed the color on to Julia’s cheeks. To create a dramatic eye, Le Crayon Khôl in Black Ebony was used. Several coats of Lancôme Définicils Pro Mascara in Black created lush, dark lashes. Genevieve opted for a soft natural-looking pout. She applied Lancôme Le Lipstique lip liner in Natural Mauve then coated the lips with Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge in Coquette and topped with Lancôme Juicy Tubes in Hallucination for a high-shine finish.

You can order Lancome at Nordstrom.

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Kate Winslet at the Golden Globes: Makeup By Lancome, Hair by Fekkai

Kate Winslet looked a beautiful as ever at the Golden Globes.

Kate Winslet appears backstage at the 67th annual Golden Globe Awards

Celebrity makeup artist Jillian Dempsey did Lancôme ambassador Kate Winslet’s makeup. Here is how:

Kate’s look was clean and luminous. Armani Luminous Silk Foundation showed off Kate’s naturally beautiful complexion. To create contoured cheekbones, Jillian used Avon Be Blushed in Blushing Nude and highlighted the cheeks with a brightener. Jillian Dempsey For Avon Professional Kohl Eye Liner in Navy played off the midnight hues of Kate’s dress. Several coats of Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara in Excessive Black really made Kate’s eyes pop. For Kate’s matte lip, which she requested, Jillian topped lip liner with Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge in Rich Cashmere for a soft, pretty finish.

For Kate Winslet’s hair, Renato Campora for Frederic Fekkai was inspired by the idea of a glamorous woman leaving her hotel room in a rush. He created a sexy, low chignon with an undone feel and lots of texture. Here is how to get the look:

On wet hair Renato applied FEKKAI COIFF™ STRONG HOLD VOLUME MOUSSE mixed with FEKKAI ADVANCED™ BRILLIANT GLOSSING™ CREAM. These two products together provide the right balance to create a texture that leaves the hair hydrated. With the hair still wet, he created a side part and placed pins curls throughout the entire head and dried the hair with a diffuser. Once the hair was 80 percent dry, he removed the pin curls. Renato used his fingers to produce texture and finished drying the hair with the diffuser. He then applied FEKKAI Salon Technician Color Care™ Anti-Fade Top Coat throughout the hair for shine. Next, he softened the ends by using a curling iron. He then applied the FEKKAI Au Naturel Dry Shampoo all over the head to give the final look some modernity and volume. After that, Renato formed the chignon, by pulling the hair down into a low pony tail; he wrapped the rubber band around once and created a loop with the hair when you take it through the pony tail the second time. Campora used long hair pins to secure the pieces to the side and played with the texture to make the chignon. He left loose pieces in the front to frame and soften the face. This allows the hair in the front to blend with the chignon in the back perfectly, so there is no contrast. Finally, he finished with FEKKAI Full Blown Volume™ Lifting Hairspray and dried with a diffuser to maintain the look.

By the way, Armani foundation is incredible, I can’t recommend it enough. Look for it, along with Lancome and Fekkai items, at Sephora.com.