Mac Cosmetic's Studio Sculpt Foundation

Everyone dreams of a full coverage, non-cakey foundation right? Well I may have just found one for all you full coverage girls out there! Admittedly I don't need full coverage as I am very lucky with my skin, however I love the flawless base a full coverage foundation gives you! However I do know many people will suffer with acne and scarring so for some full coverage is an essential.
Studio Sculpt was one of my first ever Mac foundation's so at this point my make-up knowledge wasn't at its best. Therefor I didn't really appreciate how amazing the formula is possibly because my application was TERRIBLE.

I repurchased this a couple of months back and instantly fell in love. First of all this foundation retails at £25 which I believe is an average price for a good quality high end foundation. However the standard foundation quantity is 30ml and this has 40ml so you get a third more for your money, and as you only need the tiniest pea sized amount that 10ml goes a long way! Personally this foundation doesn't break me out however my skin is pretty tough so I would be careful and probably get a sample as the formula is quite heavy on the skin.



As you can see from the above swatches the foundation itself is thick, and super full coverage so a little will go a long way. I apply using a dense brush which gives the fullest of coverage, however if you did want this to go on slightly sheer I would recommend either a stippling brush or a damp sponge. This foundation is a gel formula which means its super hydrating and doesn't cling to any dry patches which I find are around my nose, however I do need to set this around my t-zone as I feel those of you with oily skin will find this may slide off! However once its set properly in place it doesn't budge for around 8 hours. I love this for special occasions and nights out because although its full coverage you don't look dull and lifeless, this has a skinlike appearance giving you the perfect glow! However it will give you a slight flash back as it contains SPF15!
I use the colour NC30 which is yellow undertones perfect for when I'm tanned (Thankyou St Moritz!) and doesn't oxidise during the day which I find some Mac foundations can do.

Overall I believe this foundation is perfect for those with dry skin due to the fantastic gel formula, however can be adjusted for all the skin types using a setting powder which should be patted onto the skin rather than brushed (this stops the foundation moving making it last longer!) And also the rest of your make-up glides effortlessly on top!
I always get a lot of questions on Instagram about this foundation so I hope I have helped and if you have any more questions please leave them below! Also if you don't already follow me on Instagram for beauty pictures: sophiekathleenx

 

Take care xo

Battle Of The Highlighters

So anyone who knows me will be aware of the massive glitter fetish I have! Anything remotely glittery or sparkly I grab (magpie I know) but I just cant help myself. So as you can imagine highlighter is one of my favourite parts of my make-up routine and for me is the finishing touch.

My two favourite highlighters of all time have to be Macs Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle, and Urban Decays Naked Illuminated Powder. Both of which are the perfect neutral shades for both day time, and night time looks.

Firstly Mac's Soft and Gentle is the first ever highlighter I've swooned over, the large baked product looks gorgeous in the pan and has the most gorgeous marbled surface! The highlighter itself is very fine and buttery for a highlighter and contains the smallest grains of shimmer, feeling velvety on the skin.The colour is perfect for all skin types and is a champagne/gold/warm undertone which would complement the lightest to the darkest of complexions. I apply this over my cheekbones, cupids bow, brow bone, nose you name it! I even dust it over my legs for an ultra bronzed look on a night out! This product is £22 which you may think is on the pricey side, however you get a whole 10g of product and also a little goes a very very long way. I have had this product since September, use it almost ever day and even still looks brand spanking new!

Urban Decays Illuminated Powder was a present given to me by my lovely friend for Christmas, she knows me too well! I had been practically rubbing this all over me every time I had walked past the Urban Decay counter and never got it, so you can imagine my excitement when I received this as a present! Firstly the packaging is stunning! I can imagine its not to everyone's taste however the shimmery box is an eye catcher, however probably not the easiest to throw in your make-up bag. The product itself is more gold than Soft and Gentle and would probably suit those more tanned ( I am NC30-35). The glitter are larger and more noticeable in this highlighter and if your a bit afraid to try a highlighter this is probably not the best to start with and its very glittery and noticeable! However I love that and believe its perfect for nights out! I put this over my legs, arms and chest if I'm feeling glam on an evening as the product is advertised for both the face and body. The formula itself it silky and glides effortlessly on the skin. This product is a perfect addition to their Naked collection and retails for £20 for 6g of product, therefore with macs you get more for your money.

I have included photos of each highlighter in natural light, and flash photography, as you can see they both photograph beautifully! Urban Decay on the left and Mac's on the right. In photographs Soft and Gentle look's a lot more dramatic therefore I would advise a light hand! Overall I love them both for different reasons and love how they can give you that Kim Kardashian highlighted glow and would recommend both of these products strongly!
Do you have any of these products if you do let me know how you feel about them!?

Mac Rebel Lipstick Review

Hello again! During the winter I've grown an obsession with the dark, vampy lips. Ranging from gorgeous dark reds such as Russian Red by Mac, to Media a deep dark purple also by Mac. As some of you may know, Mac do a recycling scheme called back2mac, any product which has the back2mac symbol on the packaging means you can exchange 6 empty products for a lipstick or eye shadow!
With my back2mac I decided Rebel was the perfect lip colour to pick.

Rebel is a gorgeous pink toned purple, perfect for the lightest, to the darkest of skin completions. The formula is satin, this means it has all the qualities of a matte lipstick with amazing pigmentation and lasting powers, however is slightly more creamy and has a slight sheen. The lasting power is amazing with up to 4 hours wear before needing to touch up, and using Macs Nightmoth Lip Liner slightly longer. I don't find this lipstick to smudge however it can bleed a little without any lip liner. The lipstick isn't the most opaque which is what I usually like, however this make's it perfect for someone who is wanting to try a bold lipstick for the first time, because it can be a little scary!

Overall I really have been enjoying this lipstick and is amazing quality, as for all Mac Lipsticks. If you've given this a try or been thinking about it please leave a comment and share your thoughts, id love to hear!

RRP £15 www.maccosmetics.co.uk

L'oreal Paris True Match Foundation Review

Hello, hope you're all well! Recently I've been trying out a few raved about drug store products in the 'blogging world' in hope of discovering some new everyday staples and hopefully help you guys do the same!
I've been on the hunt for the perfect foundation for years now, and its safe to say its all down to trial and error. I have tried so many and am still yet to find THE ONE. However after seeing lots of reviews on L'oreals True Match foundation and the similarities it has to Mac's Studio Fix Fluid - which is an amazing foundation, I have given it a whirl.

At £9.99 its slightly more pricey for a drugstore foundation, as you get the usual 30ml of product. The bottle is glass and also has a pump which is always handy! Its also contains SPF 17 which is good for the skin... but flashback hell, therefore I would suggest staying away from flash photography when wearing this foundation!
I picked up the colour w4 Golden Natural which is perfect for my NC30 skin tone as it contains a yellow undertone. This foundation has a wide colour selection which is rare for a drugstore brand so everyone should find the perfect colour! The foundation also doesn't oxidise which is a bonus, no one wants an orange face!

Here I've swatched the foundation in natural light. The consistency is very light and runny, however still provides a medium/full coverage. The product is easily buildable in light layers to avoid the dreaded cake face. To apply I used the Real Techniques buffing brush and it applied flawlessly and is effortless to blend! I really like the matte finish this foundation provides without even being powdered however avoids looking dull and lifeless! I would 100% recommend this foundation to someone with oily skin as it may stick to dry patches, and also those who like a fuller coverage without feeling like you have loads of foundation on. This also lasts 8 hours once fully set with my Mac Prep & Prime Transparent Powder. Hope I helped and please let me know if you've tried this yourself!