A quick review : The Balm MaryLou Luminizer

Today I'm writing a quick review - the reason it's 'quick' is because I'm sure most of you have already heard a thousand and one things about this product, it's massively popular within the beauty world right now! None the less, I thought I would give my two cents.

Mary Lou really is the perfect highlight shade - it's a beautiful champagne tone that's not too pink and not completely yellow either (great for makeup artists as it's pretty much a universal highlighter!) It's finely milled so goes on so smoothly and blends out beautifully unlike chunkier highlighters (I'm thinking the MUA ones and the Urban Decay naked highlighter) which can just look a bit too much.

Do I even need to mention the packaging? It's the prettiest thing ever and makes me want to buy everything else from The Balm just so I can look at it! My favourite brush to apply it with is either a larger fluffy brush for a more diffused natural look or the Real Techniques setting brush, which allows more control and precision. The price is a little steep, but still considerably lower than the MAC msf's - plus it looks as if it will last forever. So, overall, I wouldn't definitely recommend this to anyone who prefers a powder highlighter and likes to go a little bit bolder with their glow! I couldn't live without it now.

Fern

Review : Lush Hair Extensions

I was recently sent these amazing hair extensions from the lovely people over at Lush Hair Extensions. First off, I think it's worth mentioning how great their customer service is - they offer a free shade match service where you can chat back and fourth with the company to pick the right colour for you. You send them photos of your hair in natural daylight and they'll match you free of charge (I was matched to shade #60 Lightest Blonde, pictured above) and I really love the match as this particular set accounts for all the different tones of blonde I have in my hair - it can be really hard to match up a blonde right, especially when you have a mix of lighter/darker or warmer/cooler tones. I was also sent the amazing hot pink extensions, designed by Holly Hagan, have a look at this post to see them in action!

As soon as I opened these extensions I noticed how lovely and soft they were. They also have a nice weight to them and feel very natural and not over processed or dry in the slightest. They are 100% remy human hair with a lovely texture and feel, making them easy to style, wash and experiment with. I received the 150 gram 8 weft set, which contains:

1x8'' wide weft (4 clips attached)

2x6'' wide weft (3 clips attached)

2x4'' wide weft (2 clips attached)

1x3'' wide weft (2 clips attached)

2x2'' wide weft (1 clip attached)

For me this set's perfect as my hair is fairly thick, so they added a nice amount of volume and blended well with my natural hair. If you have thinner/finer hair you may want to consider going for a lighter set. It takes some getting used to to clip them in properly, I found it was a case of altering the number of wefts you used depending on what kind of look you were going for - some people like to use the whole pack whereas other may use a few wefts just to add some volume and length; it's all about playing around with them until you get the best result for you! I love the way these feel, just like natural hair and very comfortable to wear throughout the day. I found these to hold a curl better than my own hair which is always a bonus!

I noticed a little bit of shredding from these extensions, but that is generally to be expected with any sets you buy - just as your natural hair comes out/shreds, these will a little too. Taking good care of them is really important - Lush recommends not washing them too often (this depends on how much you style/process them and how many hair styling products you use on them) over washing can cause them to wear out sooner than they should!

So overall, I'm very happy with these - they're really affordable and definitely worth the money considering how well they can shade match you. It's nice to talk to real people rather than leaving it to chance; so many company's wont offer that kind of service anymore. I've read up on other reviews and a lot of people with all different kinds of hair types loves these (be it ombre, super short, curly - the list goes on) so it's definitely a company to check out if you're in the market for longer and thicker looking hair!

Fern

BareMinerals Haul & Review

Last week I made a new order from bareMinerals - despite working for them and and not wanting to sound 'cliche', they are genuinely one of my favourite brands and my first port of call at the moment for new makeup bits.The range of products and colours/finishes available is what I really love - there's always something to suit everyone.

Ready Blush in 'the one' : this is actually my first pressed bareMinerals blush, and I had such a hard time choosing a colour, they're all so pretty. After using these a lot on customers, I was really impressed by the pigmentation and buildable finish of them - you can decide whether you wear it sheer or concentrated for a pop of colour. This colour is beautiful, kind of a universal soft pink

Ready Luminizer in 'the love affair' & 'the shining moment' : I cannot recommend this highlighter enough; I've never found something I like more for achieving a soft luminous glow. Because it has the two colours, you can pick between a pinky highlight or a more gold toned one - when the two colours are mixed it creates a really complimentary glow to the skin. Unlike other highlighters, it's not chunky or too glittery but instead fine milled, adding the perfect sheen to the skin - if you've not tried this I would really recommend it

Original Loose SPF 15 Foundation in 'golden medium' : this stuff has seriously changed my makeup routine and the way I think about my skin. I have a fair few shades now, ranging from lighter to more tanned golden tones (I'm a fake tan addict!) and this one if perfect if you prefer a more golden tone to you skin. This foundation is super quick and easy to apply and can be worn alone or on top of liquid foundation - it literally transforms your skin and gives you a glowing airbrushed look, plus it won't glog your pores or irritate your skin with unnecessary nasty ingredients

5-in-1 BB Eyeshadow Cream in 'soft shell' : these eyeshadow creams are seriously played-down within the line of bareMinerals products. I absolutely love them, they transform a shadow look and make chalky shadows look creamy whilst intensifying pigments. They are ideal under a smokey eye look and look lovely worn alone for a more toned-down look. Soft shell is a slightly yellowy neutral colour, I especially love to use it under my brows to sculpt and define them a bit more

Pretty Amazing Lipcolour in 'charisma' : the lipcolours are a fusion between a gloss and lipstick, giving an intense colour with a glossy buttery finish. I absolutely love these and a little goes a long way. I opted for a pinky tone as I usually always go for nudes and I really like it, it's not too warm or too blue!

Fern

Product Rave : Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer

shades l-r : eclipse / luna / shooting star / stellar

I have recently fallen head over heels with these lip lacquers by Rimmel. I'd been wanting to try them out for ages but held it off as I'm not a massive fan of Rimmel products in general - but these really surpassed all my expectations. I'd heard great things and decided to bite the bullet and get a couple of shades (I've since gone back and bought the rest of the shades as I love them that much!)

The texture of these is amazing, they're extremely buttery and silky yet don't appear sheer on the lips; infact the colour pay off is amazing and they're incredibly pigmented. For something that's marketted as a 'fusion' between a gloss and a lipstick "but better" you really do get all that. The colour range is gorgeous and thankfully Rimmel made every shade completely unique, so we're not just dealing with a bland palette of samey nudes. When I've worn these myself, the staying power is amazing, they stay on all day and even hold up fairly well through eating and drinking - plus the shine they provide is lovely. Usually, I would only expect good longevity from a matte formulation but these have really changed my view on that. 

These are ideal for, if like me, you are looking to build up a kit - these are so versatile, covering all the shades you could want and every finish, as they're neither a gloss nor a lipstick as mentioned previously. I imagine they would be ideal for bridal or wedding makeup - I can't wait to try them out for a wedding I'm doing early next year. The last thing I love is the applicator, which allows the product to glide on really smoothly, outlining and filling in your lips perfectly everytime... oh and the packaging is so pretty. (is there anything I don't like about these?!)

Fern

Summer Makeup Favourites

St.Tropez Skin Illuminator 'Gold' : I love love love this stuff, it's perfect for bringing out a tan and making it pop. It's a gold tone which I love as I tend to steer away from anything with a pink tone to it; I love to mix this with my foundation to add a little bit more glow to my base - or it can be used on the legs and arms to get a gorgeous glow

Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Tinted Moisturiser 'light 02' : I picked this up not so long ago from tk maxx. I felt like I really needed to get something that was lighter coverage - I always tend to go for a medium to full coverage but it's just not practical when it's hot and humid, so I opted for this! I was actually really surprised by this, it's a great alternative to foundation and gives more coverage than expected, plus it feels lightweight and moisturising on the skin - only con is this 'light' colour is not very light at all, not a problem for me as I'm a fake tan junkie, but something to note!

Benefit They're Real Mascara : Another tk maxx buy - they have so much good discounted makeup in there! At first it felt a bit wet and clumpy but after a week or two it applies so nicely, literally making my eyelashes look fake. It's a smudgeproof lengthening formula and one coat looks amazing alone - just be careful of layering it too much as it does clump!

Revlon Quad 'Brazen' : I love this quad for  summer as I tend to always wear less eyeshadow in these months - I always opt for smokier eyes in the winter on the whole. It has a nice mixture of bronze, brown and gold and can be applied really subtley for an everyday look. Plus the pigmentation is really good.

Mac Lipstick 'Shy Girl' : I've had this for ages but forever love it - it's the perfect summer nude (especially with a tan) plus it's so moisturising - great for, if like me, you get dry lips in the summer due to lack of moisture. It's nice compromise between a coral and nude and goes with basically any makeup look.

Soap & Glory Glow All Out Highlighter : Never thought I would say this, but I actually like this more than my MUA undress your skin highlighter simply because it's more finely milled, a little bit more natural and has a bit more of a peachy tone as appose to a bluey/pink one. It's adds such a soft highlight, I absolutely love it for a summer glow.

What have you been loving for summer?

Fern

MUA Ever After Matte Palette

Shades : Unwrap, Butter, Bare, Taffeta, Fade, Penny, Chino, Truffle, Fog, Smoke

I wanted this palette (and all the others MUA has to offer!) ever since I fell in love with the Undress Me Too palette, which is one I reach for everyday (review here). I was curious to see how this would match up in comparison to the shimmer finish of the other shadows - I didn't quite believe that a £4 palette could provide good quality matte shadows. I was wrong! This palette is lovely and offers the ability to create a variety of eye makeup looks from neutral to smokey and beyond. 

The shadows themselves are fairly creamy and not chalky as I had worried they would be - the only downside for me is they're not as pigmented as other MUA palettes, but they are still really nice. Another slight issue I have with this palette is that shades 2 and 3 (Bare and Taffeta) are nearly the same and when applied to the eyelid look identical, so in that way I feel a little cheated, but for £4 it's not much of a complaint. I absolutely love the colour 'fade' as a natural crease definer and often use 'unwrap' as a subtle highlight on the brow bone. Overall I would really recommend this palette for something a little different - it's very hard to find all matte palettes but MUA have come up trumps with this one; it's especially good if, like me, you're trying to build up a kit containing a variety of products and finishes.

What are your thoughts?

Fern

May Beauty Favourites

MUA Undress Me Too Palette : I've actually reviewed this palette more in depth here so go check that out if you're interested! It's a palette that I reach for every single day without fail - the combination of colours means you can create literally any kind of eye look from subtle to smokey and the pigmentation is amazing, so it's a winner for me.

The Body Shop Shea Lip Butter : I really love this lip butter, not only does it smell amazing but it does a great job of moisturising dry or chapped lips - perfect to chuck in my makeup bag, I like to apply it before doing my makeup

17 Shine Control Pressed Powder : I picked this up on a whim after my Rimmel Stay Matte had run out and it's surprisingly good! It does a great job of mattifying my makeup and keeping it in place but also gives a flawless lightweight coverage without looking cakey or clinging to dryness - definitely a hidden gem.

Revlon Nail Polish 'Sweet Tart' : Again, this was another product I picked up on a whim when lusting after pretty pink nails - this shade is perfect for pink lovers, it's bright but not a hot pink, there is a tiny bit of coral in there making it perfect for summer (plus it lasts for ages, no chipping for days which really impressed me!)

MUA Powder Blush 'Bon Bon' : I already knew the MUA blushes were amazing for pigmentation but then I found this shade - I've never had a more perfect blush. It's the right balance between coral, soft pink and plum and gives a lovely glowy blush to the cheeks, and for £1 it's really worth trying out

Ebay Stipple Fibre Powder Brush : I've reviewed these ebay brushes more in depth here . These have been hailed super cheap dupes for the Real Techniques brushes, and they do come very very close. This brush in particular is lovely as it's slightly angled meaning it's easy to get around the nose area and hairline. I love using it to apply foundation as it's a very lightweight brush - it blends out foundation seamlessly without picking up too much product at any time, giving an airbrushed effect

Yardley English Rose Eau De Toilette : I received this as a gift for Christmas, but it's become one of my favourite summer scents. Some rose perfumes smell a little sickly or fake but this smells exactly like roses, as if you've just walked into a garden full of them - it also has a slight warmth to it making it smell divine

What have you been loving this month?

Fern

MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter

The mua / makeup academy powder highlighter retails for £3 in Superdrug.

I was initially keen to try this highlighter not only because it looks so pretty, but also because it's so cheap and I'd heard such positive things. This highlighter definitely does live up to it's claims - its a lovely pinky/champagne colour that adds a dewy glow to the cheeks. I've also used this as an eye-shadow too, it doubles up as a really great inner corner highlight if you're tight on room in your makeup bag. It adds a subtle luminous effect without feeling chalky or super glittery.

My previous go to highlight was always benefit high beam, but I actually like this a lot more for a fraction of the price, plus its nearly exactly the same shade so a similar effect can be achieved. In fact, I used to find that benefit highbeam was at times hard to blend and a little too silvery (plus it would always slightly remove my foundation wherever I blended it - does anyone else have this problem?)
The only minor downsides to this product for me are that not a massive amount comes off onto the brush and so at times I find my self rubbing my brush in a little harder than I'd like! Also its not massively long wearing so touch ups can be necessary.
I'd definitely recommend it 100% for the price! I usually prefer more yellow-toned highlighters and have my eye on the Essence metal glam highlighter next!

What are your thoughts on this highlighter?

Collection Lasting Perfection Foundation

The Collection Lasting Perfection foundation is a medium/full coverage buildable foundation which promises ultimate 16 hour wear, SPF 20 and an oil free formula.

This has become one of my firm favourite foundations that I find myself reaching for everyday due to it's full coverage that can also be blended out seamlessly for a more natural coverage. The consistency is fairly thick but not too clogging and chalky, it feels moisturising and comfortable on the skin and doesn't accentuate dry areas (although maybe be cautious if you have severly dry skin!). It covers blemishes and discolouration so well, evening out the skin tone and texture. I find it comparable in coverage to estee lauder double wear - plus the price is amazing for such a long wearing product (around £5.99) 

A few things that I'm not so impressed with: it accentuates pores and lines, sometimes creasing around the nose, mouth and eyes - this can easily be remedied by blending over areas where it's creased throughout the day. Also, it doesn't let the skin breath much, and so can feel a little cloying. For me, it feels a little too oily to be oil free, and sometimes I do get shiny throughout the day (I have oily/combo skin.) But using a good powder over the top definitely minimises the shine! Lastly, the colour range isn't amazing (I'm in shade 3 or 4 depending on whether I've fake tanned). Regardless, I think it's a really great foundation for those who like a flawless full satiny finish to their foundation - and well worth trying for the price!

What are your thoughts on this foundation?

Fern

My Top 5 Soap & Glory products

Glow Lotion // I've already been through two bottles of this - it's a really pretty shimmery body lotion with a nice lightweight consistency that sinks into the skin effortlessly and leaves it with that classic soap & glory cult fragrance. I really love this for on holiday to pep my skin up, or for a night out on my legs and arms; it adds a warm glow without making you look like a glitterball and is a cheaper way of getting the famous soap & glory scent if you can't get hold of the perfume (which also smells amazing!)

Rich & Foamous Body Wash // This smells absolutely gorgeous (I actually prefer it to the Clean on me shower gel which is also lovely). It has scents of honey and almond in there and honestly it just smells good enough to eat. It foams up really nicely and comes out of the pump in a thick creamy consistency (am I the only one who can't stand runny shower gels that have disappeared down the plug hole before you even get to use them?!) It lathers up so nicely and leaves my skin looking supple and squeaky clean.

Smoothie Star Deep Moisture Body Milk // This too smells good enough to eat! It's an absolutely delicious scent of (again) almonds, honey and milk. I'm really impressed by the amount of product you get; I've used this very generously all of my body more times than I can count and there's still loads left, so you really do get what you pay for. It's a lovely thick rich consistency and makes my skin feel so soft and leaves it smelling lovely without lingering on the skin too long or being overpowering.

Scrub 'em and Leave 'em Body Buff // Although I love the other Soap & Glory scrub (the one that smells of mojitos) this one just tops it for me as it's more creamy and thick. I found that the other scrub was a little too harsh on my skin, whereas this one has nice circular exfoliating beads that 'buff' at the skin and leave it soft and lovely - this is an absolute life saver for fake tan users - and it smells divine.

Glow All Out Highlighter // This is such a great underrated highlighter. I never hear much buzz about this in the beauty world but it's a great multi-purpose product. It has a nice fine-milled shimmer which looks amazing brushed lightly over the skin - plus it has a nice warm light pink/peachy tone to it so it can double up as a blush too if your skins a little paler. It's not an overpowering highlighter at all, it just gives a pretty glow and also looks amazing with a tan - my favourite way to use it is with a big fluffy brush on my face (or even legs and neck for a night out)

What are you favourite Soap & Glory products?

MUA Undress Me Too palette

 

from l-r; naked, devotion, shy, fiery, lavish, dreamy, tranquil, exposed, reveal, wink, obsessed, corrupt

 

 

I recently purchased the MUA Undress Me Too palette; I finally managed to find it in stock in a Superdrug store near me (it's been so hard to find!) after covetting the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette but resenting the £30+ price tag (hello, unemployment). After having it for around 2 weeks it's already become my firm favourite palette that I reach for on a day to day basis. It's so versatile - I've created smokey eyes, neutral eyes, bronzey eyes, 'no makeup' eye looks - the possibilities are endless with this palette.

 

The pigmentation of the shadows is very impressive, each one has a nice creamy easy to blend texture and amazing colour payoff, meaning a little goes a long way. I've used the Urban Decay palette before, and this certainly measures up for a mere fraction of the price (this palette retails at £4). The second colour in (devotion) is a near perfect dupe for Half Baked which I already own, and comes off as a really pretty shimmery bronze/gold. The shadows aren't at all chalky and I've found them to leave minimal fall out; an issue I find with the Sleek iDivine Storm palette which was previously one of my favourite budget palettes.

 

The only downside to this palette, as with most of the MUA and Sleek palettes, is that there are only 3 matte shades. Personally, this isn't an issue for me as I prefer shimmer based shadows most days, but for lovers of purely matte shadows, this may be a slight let down. Although they've done well to mimick the Urban Decay palette by making the duped colours matte like the originals, something which I felt was lacking in the raved about 'Heaven & Earth' palette.  The taupey soft purple (lavish) looks amazing blended into the crease with naked and devotion blended over the lid and into the inner corner - it's become my daily eye makeup look!



Review: L'oreal true match foundation

Shade; Golden Natural (W4)

I had heard a lot of good stuff about this foundation, both online and from friends - and after trying it loved how it blended seamlessly. I had previously tried the older formulation and found it chalky and cakey, and so was surprised that it had gained so much hype again. This foundation retails at £9.99 in the UK, a fair price for a foundation that matches up to more high end brands (I find it comparable to MAC's Studio Fix Fluid in consistency and coverage)
One of the initial things that appealed to me was the yellow-undertones of many of the shades available, something that seems to be very hard to find in a cheaper foundation. I'm really not a fan of looking too pink or with a grey undertone, and so this range definitely caters to those with a warmer skin tone, or people like me who have a light skin tone but like to warm it up a bit with an undertone that's more on the yellow side.+
The consistency, upon first application appears to be quite runny and liquidy; but I was pleasantly surprised to see that in the end it blends out to a medium coverage (which is definitely buildable to a full coverage) It's super easy to blend and looks flawless on the skin. Over time it has the tendency to cake a little if too much is applied, so I'd recommend a lighter hand unless you're willing to touch up. Also, I've noticed that it clings to very dry pacthes; so maybe steer clear if you suffer from dry skin. It's definitely suited to more of a normal skin type - or oily skins if set with powder.
The staying power is good, it lasts a good day - but doesn't have the same kind of staying power as something more hardcore like Estee Lauder Double Wear. The downside for me is because it dries to a mostly matte finish, it does accentuate pores and skin texture if applied too heavily around troublesome areas - but this seems to be easily combatted with the use of a primer beforehand.
I picked this up on a whim and so the shade is just a little too dark for me (retrospectively, I probably should have opted for W3) but mixed with my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (which is too light for me in colour and coverage) I've found my perfect combo which suits my lighter skin much better.

MAC Rebel lipstick

 MAC Rebel / Barry M 160 'Black Cherry'

Rebel is a gorgeous purple based / fuchsia toned lipstick. This is the kind of lipstick I love - so many lipsticks that look purple in the bullet just don't deliver and end up being more of a bright pink. I'm a massive fan of nudes and pinks, but when I reach for something dark I want more than just a basic red, and so this colour is perfect for me. Rebel is a satin finish (which so far has proved to be my favourite! I've heard the mattes are very drying) It has a semi-matte finish with a slight sheen to it, which is forgiving on even chapped lips. As far as I can tell it doesn't accentuate dry areas and comes off as such a lovely finish.
The berry-tone of this lipstick means it looks amazing with both pale and tanned skin (not to mention green or blue eyes!)  
I was looking through some other lipsticks for comparison, and actually discovered that the Barry M 160 lipstick (which I bought about a month ago) is very very similar but with less of a purple undertone - appearing more of a deep hot pink on the lips. But for a cheaper alternative I'd really recommend it - it even has the same satin-like finish (although it's slightly more drying). Admittedly, I do love Rebel much more and it is better quality; but Barry M makes some amazing cheap alternatives to the MAC lipsticks so it's worth checking out.

Real Techniques : Ebay dupe brushes

I have raved about these brushes before, but since I have bought two more I'm praising them even more! These are almost identical dupes for the Real Techniques brushes made by Samantha Chapman, but come at a fraction of the price (I got mine for around £1.80 a piece from this seller on Ebay) Despite the slightly lengthy postage (took a few weeks) it really was worth it because these brushes are so cheap yet so good.
They don't at all feel cheap - they are synthetic but feel super soft and are just dense enough without being too hard or spikey. I love to use them to apply foundation as they give a really flawless finish and the stippling brush is ideal for cream blush/highlight. Not only do they look almost identical to the Real Techniques brushes, but they also perform just as well (which is saying alot for something so cheap). I have had hardly any shedding from these; which was something I worried about initially. They have held up really well through numerous washes and heavy use - I would definitely definitely recommend investing in some of these .. and even if they don't live up to expectations you've hardly broke the bank!

Favourite autumn/winter nail polishes

r-l ; revlon 'bubblegum' / nails inc. 'big apple red' / estee lauder 'berry desire' / technic 'carnival' / barry m 'silver glitter'

When it comes to the colder months, like most people, I begin to steer towards darker berry tones to match the (cold!) weather. Even though I still frequently use nudes and peaches, I thought I'd share some of the more commonly 'winter' colours I've been loving. Of course, once it's Christmas the glitter topcoats are a tradition! I love the technic one as it's jam packed with all different glitters - and looks amazing over black or dark polishes. Glitter instantly makes me feel festive. I'm also a sucker for good pink, especially barbie/bubblegum pinks. On a side note, I am sooo impressed with the wearing-power of the Nails Inc polish, it literally lasts a week with only a few chips (which is big for me as I manage to chip nail polish in a matter of hours - busy hands!)

What colours have you been loving?

MAC Shy Girl

MAC Shy Girl lipstick ; £15

Shy Girl was (and is) my first ever MAC lipstick. Although I don't always get enough use out of it and regrettably let it slip unnoticed into the back of my lipstick collection; it's still one of my absolute favourites. As a cremesheen finish, it has a really nice satiny hydrating formula which doesn't enhance dry or chapped lips. It's a fairly sheer colour, which tends to be the nature of the cremesheen formulation, but still adds a nice amount of pigmentation. The texture is almost balmy with a very very slight shimmer/glitter in there, although it doesn't necessarily translate onto the lips.

The staying power is pretty decent, lasting a good hour (which in my eyes is impressive for both a balmy and light shade of lipstick). Unlike many other nudes which can wash you out, Shy Girl has a definite peach undertone, which looks amazing with a tan. Having said that, in my experience, it can look a bit off with very pale skin, so it's worth bronzing up to see it work it's magic.My only qualms here are that I personally find the overpowering vanilla scent a little too much to handle (at times!) but this is true of all MAC lipsticks and not necessarily a reflection of this one alone. Also, all the MAC lipsticks have rocketed up to £15, which in my opinion is really pushing the boat out.

Although is continues to be one of my favourites, I don't think I could justify splurging £15, despite my love for this lipstick (sort it out MAC!) but apart from that I would really recommend it as a refreshing alternative to 'concealer' nudes!

Review : Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Shade : B10 Beige Pastel

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is a love/hate product for me. It's a nice foundation, it has staying power - but I would rarely consider a foundation worthy of costing around £30+ - perhaps more because my budget never stretches that far when it comes to foundations! Price aside, I don't feel it's effects are phenomenal. Like I said, it's a good foundation for a variety of reasons, but it can certainly be rivaled by drugstore foundations which are more than half the price.

Vitalumiere Aqua gives a natural sheer coverage, and is neither dewy nor matte - but more of a 'satin' finish, which I find is a really nice balance between the two. It blends into the skin really well and is virtually undetectable (no caking at all!) However, if you suffer from very dry skin/patches of dryness, it is detectable. In my experience, it seems to stick to very dry areas in a chalky finish - a problem for me as I have combination skin. When reading up on it's ingredients, I found that is has high levels of alcohol and fragrance, meaning it can settle on dry skin and accentuate flakiness.

For me, I prefer a heavier coverage because I suffer from blemishes. Having said that, this is a lovely foundation to use if you only have minor skin issues (eg. mild discolouration, uneven skintone) but for people with acne, it's not really going to cut it. It does have an easy-to-build coverage though, so a heavier coverage could be achieved through layering - but nothing near estee lauder doublewear, for example. Another attribute of this foundation is the yellowy undertone (but not a simpsons yellow!) which works well with my skintone. In drugstore foundations it's nearly impossible to find a foundation that doesn't have pink/ashy undertones. It seems worth exploring high end foundations if you favour a more yellowy undertone.

Overall, I would say if you have fairly good-great skin with minimal dryness, this will suit you well. Also, oily skins could benefit from this foundation as it's not overly dewy and the staying power is good. I personally wouldn't repurchase it for the price, but I will enjoy using it up and still commend it for being a good all round sheer/natural foundation.