True Match.

L’Oreal -

True Match Foundation

I’ve heard so much about this foundation. For the last year everyone has been raving about how it’s a fantastic dupe for Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, and after a lot of standing and testing on the back of my hand, walking away and then coming back, I finally caved and bought it.

The L’Oreal True Match Foundation is marketed as a ‘super blendable’ foundation with a creamy liquid texture, flawless finish and true-to-skin shades that ‘matches the colour and texture of your skin’. It contains SPF 17 and it comes in a 30ml glass bottle with a pump (something you shouldn’t get too excited about, but which you actually do).

This foundation has a silky texture and matte & luminous finish. From what I can gather it’s pretty much identical to Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk in this aspect, and it feels very pleasant on the skin. True Match claims to give your skin a flawless finish, which I slightly disagree. It’s definitely not a natural finish, but it’s not flawless either, so I’d put it somewhere in between natural and flawless.

True Match has a great light to medium coverage, perfect as an everyday foundation if you’re used to wearing foundation on a daily basis. It covered my redness and hyper-pigmentation with 1 layer and without clinging to any dry patches.

Where the formula is concerned this is where True Match mainly differs from Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk; The L’Oreal foundation is a creamy liquid and the Armani foundation is more like a creamy paste. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk is thicker, and therefore it gives you a higher coverage and it’s more longwearing than True Match.

Overall, I’m pleasantly surprised by the L’Oreal True Match foundation and I believe it is very similar to the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation. Granted, it’s not an 100% dupe because True Match is less long-wearing, less flawless and less creamy, but it’s the most similar foundation to Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk I’ve tried so far, and it doesn’t cost a small fortune! It’s fantastic for everyday use and the wide shade range with different undertones is commendable.

Overall Round Up:

- SPF 17

- True to skin shades

- Warm, cool & neutral undertones

- Natural matte & luminous finish

- Light / medium coverage

- Silky texture

- Creamy liquid formulation

- Lightweight

- 20 shades

If you’re thinking of buying Luminous Silk but you can’t quite afford it yet, give L’Oreal True Match a go and see how you get on with it first.

Favourites of 2013.

Firstly, I'm super sorry about there being no pictures in this post, my phone for some reason won't link to my laptop, therefore I can't upload them. 
Never the less, here are my 2013 favourites!

Make-Up

Best Primer – Too Faced Primed and Poreless Pure Primer

Best Foundation - Dior DiorSkin Nude BB Cream + Giorgio Armani Maestro Foundation

Best Concealer - Dior DiorSkin Nude Skin Perfecting Hydrating Concealer

Best Bronzer – Jouer Sheer Matte Powder and Bronzing Duo (only the bronzer)

Best Powder – Still on a mission to find the perfect powder (however I may have found it…watch this space)

Best Highlighter - YSL Touche Eclat

Best Contour - Still on a mission to find the perfect contouring product!

Best Blusher - Dior DiorBlush Vibrant Colour Powder Blush in Rose Cherie

Best Eye Primer - Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden

Best Eyeshadow – Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (I was going to say Naked 3, however I thought as its only come out, it wasn’t fair to take the spot light away from the amazing Naked 2 Palette)

Best Eye Pencil - Rimmel ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in Nude

Best Mascara – L’oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara

Best Brow Product - Benefit Brow Zings in Light

Best Lip Balm - Dior Addict Lip Glow

Best Lipstick – Dior Rouge Dior in Rose Trafalgar 565 (now renamed as Vogue)

Best Lipgloss – Lancome Gloss in Love Pink Pampille 341 (definitely need to add more of these glosses to my collection)

Nails

Best Nail Colour – butterLondon Polish in Disco Biscuit + Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Taboo

Best Base Coat - butterLondon Horse Power Nail Fertiliser 


Best Top Coat – I really want to say Seche Top Coat, however I’m not going to because I find it has a tendency of peeling/lifting, therefore I’m on a mission for the perfect top coat.

Best Cuticle Product – Burt's Bees Cuticle Cream

What are your favourite products of 2013?

Mini-Boots Haul.

Recently I went to Boots to do some Christmas shopping. I tend to buy most of my presents for my friends from boots, theres always something for everyone, especially for those people your unsure about what to buy. Whilst there I bought a few other things, some were essential because I had ran out or not far off running out, others are things I've been eyeing up for a while and decided I couldn't walk past them any longer. 

I'm planning on doing individual reviews on most of these, so I won't go into too much detail.

The essentials.

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Waterproof Mascara.

I normally have the original version of this mascara, however as its coming up to winter I thought the waterproof version would be better suited. It is amazing for giving incredible length, a curl that lasts all day and a touch of volume, which is exactly what I want from a mascara. I have never know it to clump, smudge or flake and the brush is so easy to use. I really don't like those thick brushes that some other drug store and high end mascaras have, I find them to hard to use, and don't find they always coat every lash. This on the other hand does an amazing job of making it look like you truly are wearing false lashes. Another thing I love about this mascara is that its build able without clumping, I use on coat for really natural luscious looking lashes during the day, then sometimes add other coat or two for really show stopping incredible lashes for a night out or when I'm going somewhere nice.

Batiste Dry Shampoo.

Batiste Dry Shampoo is the best dry shampoo I have ever used. Not only is the quality really good but its also really good value at only £4 and really easy to pick up from Boots and Superdrug. I know there are some other dry shampoos which are meant to be good, but are far more expensive. Nevertheless, I believe if its not broken then why fix it. It does the job and smells amazing. Currently I'm loving the 'Blush' version, which is really florally and leaves my hair smelling amazing. However I think next time I'm going to either get the 'Oriental' (warm notes of rite, flowers and rich coconut) or 'Floral' (delicate notes of blossom, rose, orange and peach) version, which are the newest from the brand.

Too Faced Primed & Poreless Pure Oil-Free Primer. 

Not long ago I picked up the original version of this primer. I did at the time think this 'pure' version was discontinued because I couldn't find it anywhere, therefore I resorted to the original. Now. I'm not saying the original isn't amazing because it is, however this version is aimed at sensitive, combination skin, which sums my skin up exactly. The website states its clear (whereas the original has a strange pink tint to it,) oil-free, and helps to minimise and sooth rednessness whilst helping erase pores, fine lines and imperfections. Im really excited to try this because it sounds amazing. I will be writing a more in-indepth review as soon as I've gave it a good try out. Im expecting great things from this primer.

The not so essential.

Chanel Taboo Le Vernis Nail Colour.

I haven't actually ever seen a Chanel nail polish which really took my eye before. Normally I see one I like the look of, take note of the name and look for a dupe for it. The main reason for this is because I haven't always justified paying £18 for a nail polish. Lets be fair, its pretty steep even for Chanel. HOWEVER. This nail polish caught me totally of guard. Its been raved about all over the internet and I haven't ever seen a polish which could even come close to how amazing this is. I planned only to go to the counter to have a look at it, however it is truly amazing and I ended up buying it straight away. Personally I think its incredible. Its a rich, deepened red-toned purple with iridescent shimmer that reflects red, violet, pink and coppery-red. Seriously its like galaxy in a bottle!

butterLondon Petrol Nail Polish.

I have been waiting for ages for this to be released. I was actually worried it wouldn't look as good in person as I was hoping for, however it does truly look like petrol in water. Its a beautiful purple/blue duo which changes depending on the light. I've been reading a lot of reviews about this, and it sound amazing. I originally was planning on trying it as an overcoat on top of black, however some people say it looses some of its colour which I think could be the same for Taboo also if you used it for layering. Therefore I think I will try it alone and over different colours to see which gives the best result. Never the less this is something completely different from anything I have in my collection. 

If there is anything specific you would like me to review in-depth first leave me a message and I will be sure to get it written and posted as fast as I can.

xox

False Lash Effect.

L'Oréal Paris -

Telescopic False Lash Effect Mascara

I think I have just found my Holy Grail mascara!!!

L’Oreal’s Telescopic False Lash Effect mascara is basically an improved version of their original Telescopic mascara, promising to make it look like you're wearing falsies by 'elongating lashes as if beyond their tips'.  Stretching every lash for an intense look, this sounded like the perfect mascara for me, as I prefer to have very bold, fluttery eyelashes!

This mascara comes packaged as a slim, mirrored silver tube that resembles a telescope: pretty cool, but a nightmare to photograph!  It comes in Magnetic Black or Hypnotic Brown and of course I went for the black version, due it begin in my opinion more dramatic. The wand is quite skinny and flexible with little bristles designed to catch every single lash.  I tend to prefer these types of wands, as I find really big oversized wands just end up putting more products on my eyelid then on my eyelashes.

This mascara is just amazing! It makes my eyelashes unbelivably long and luscious. I have had so many commenting on my eyelashes whilst wearing this, and some people have even asked what false lashes I’m using because they look so dramatic, but so natural at the same time. They were truly stunned when I explained I was only wearing L’Oreal mascara. Another bonus of this mascara is that it doesn’t smudge, nor is it a pain to wash off. It also doesn’t irritate my very sensitive eyes.

Overall, I love this mascara. In my opinion it gives any high-end mascara a good run for its money!!!