MAKEUP | Urban Decay Face Bond Foundation #FoundationFriday

Gifted by This is Butterly. Affiliate links.

It has been six months since my last foundation review and I have to say that in my early 40s, the only makeup I seem to be consistently wanting to try is foundation because it feels like an extension of my skincare routine. If anything, better skin means I can get away with a lower coverage and maintenance foundation! Last year, I was finally chosen for a makeup product review through Butterly (I've found that once I hit my mid-30s, the makeup campaigns became far and few between) for the Urban Decay Face Bond Foundation.

MAKEUP | Dior Forever Skin Perfect 24H Multi-Use Foundation Stick

Purchased by me

It has been such a long time since I have done a foundation review! Foundation is like skincare to me, but I have been really trying to finish what I have as I have so many older foundations that aren't even in existence anymore hence the lack of trying anything new. As this is the year of Dior for me, I was paying VERY close attention when they announced a new multi-use stick foundation! I loved how easy it was to use my Basma Beauty Foundation Stick so I was hoping this new foundation from Dior would be one I enjoyed just as much.

MAKEUP | Dior Forever Glow Star Filter

Purchased by me

One thing I have rediscovered this year with Dior is their complexion products. While trying to use up my old Dior foundations from years ago, I realized that some of the nicest face products I have in my collection are indeed from Dior which led me to purchase the new(ish) Forever Glow Star Filter.

MAKEUP | Youthforia Date Night Skin Tint Serum Foundation

 

Purchased by me

I have been raving about Youthforia for the last couple of months and since it is Asian-owned and founded, it seemed like the PERFECT brand to showcase for #LunarFebruary as I usually don't get the chance to feature a lot of makeup brands. It is often skincare brands that are Asian owned and what is interesting about Youthforia is that the premise is that this is "makeup you can sleep in"! 

MAKEUP | Basma Beauty Foundation Stick with Before and After Photos

 

Purchased by me

Now, that I have shingles scars on my face, my makeup routine has changed. One, I am fully masking again at work so that means that I am a little less committed to doing a full face of makeup 5 days/week. If I do, I have been keeping it light and while I was sick and spending most of my days on the 'Gram, I came across a Sephora post for the Canadian brand Basma Beauty and their Foundation Stick. This foundation is all about having your skin still look like skin, but with minimal and lightweight-feeling product.

MAKEUP | Tom Ford Traceless Soft Matte Foundation with Before and After Photos

Purchased by me

This is the first true foundation I have purchased since before the pandemic and my third "complexion improvement" product in three years so this was KIND OF a big deal! I went to my first Estee Lauder warehouse sale last November and right in the lineup were a couple Tom Ford foundations. This was completely an impulse buy as I have never tried a Tom Ford foundation nor had the urge to until that very moment in the check out line! I took a guess on the shade after looking up some positive reviews online and decided that for $45 (more than 50% off as it retails in Sephora for $115!), I would give this luxury foundation a go!

MAKEUP | Caliray Freedreaming Skin Wellness Diffusing Tint with Before and After Photos

Purchased by me

Even though there are no longer mandatory mask mandates, all of us at work still wear them because it's just easier. We don't need to wear them if a client is NOT wearing one, but our policy then goes on to say that if the interaction is going to be fairly long, we then need wear a mask. In our business, most of the interactions we have are going to be at least 15 minutes of continuous conversation so at this point, we are all so used to wearing masks that it is just easier to wear one! I have said previously that though I haven't been wearing foundation at work, I have been wearing a lot of tinted sunscreens or moisturizers. I was on the prowl a few months ago for products that gave my skin a bit of a boost without feeling heavy and are quick to apply in the morning. This led me to the very attractive-looking Caliray Freedreaming Skin Wellness Diffusing Tint!

MAKEUP | Introduction to Canadian Brand Evalina Beauty!

Press samples provided

One of the very last in-person beauty events I attended was for the launch of Canadian brand Evalina Beauty back in November 2019. Founded by Samantha Legge, Evalina Beauty promises cruelty-free luxury beauty products that are designed to feel lightweight and bring out each person's natural beauty. I had planned a review for this brand a looooong time ago, but where has the last two years gone? I have no idea how it all went by so quickly, but here we are with the gorgeous rose gold and pink packaging of Evalina Beauty!

MAKEUP | Hermès Plein Air Natural Enhancing Complexion Balm

Last month during Spring Break, my friend Gerry and I treated ourselves to food and shopping downtown as we had not gone out together since 2019. After having some brunch at OEB Breakfast, we headed to Nordstorm and Pacific Centre to specifically peruse some beauty and jewelry. It was a rainy day and I hate trying on clothes when I'm wearing multiple layers, boots and carrying an umbrella so we stuck to easy things to "sample"! I had a few things on my shopping list to look at including the new complexion products from Hermès. I knew that these were going to be a large chunk of my shopping budget so I had planned for weeks accordingly just in case I decided to bite the bullet!

Purchased by me

MAKEUP | IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare

I really miss wearing foundation some days because in the last few years it was one of those makeup items that started getting really close to skincare for me. It was never about covering up my skin, but enhancing it and as months of mask-wearing went by, I got really lazy and now I rarely wear any foundation. That is, until about a month ago when I got tired of seeing my reflection in those moments of masklessness while eating, drinking or just needing some fresh air with redness around my nose and cheeks. Sometimes it's nice to see a flawless finish even if it's just for yourself and that's how I feel about makeup in general. Yes, I wear it to look presentable to others, but a larger percentage of why I wear it is how it makes me feel which is why if I'm feeling crap in the morning, I'll still throw on a full face of makeup, know that I look amazing and then cover it all up with a face mask!

Press sample

MAKEUP | Sephora Collection Best Skin Ever Liquid Foundation with Before and After Shots!

In an effort to feature more makeup products here, I give you a foundation review! I think once more people are vaccinated and we can all think about going into a physical workplace unmasked the makeup reviews will follow, but for now skincare will be the main component here. I almost declined testing out Sephora's newest Best Skin Ever Liquid Foundation because of my lack of foundation-wearing, but I love Sephora Collection products and have rarely been disappointed by anything they come out with. I also figured that at some point in the next two years, I WILL be wearing foundation again (I miss it!) and haven't tested out a new one since last year so it was indeed time to try something new! 

 

PR samples

MAKEUP | Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation

I had mentioned on my Instagram post today that it has been brutally hard trying to sit down after coming from work to type. Most of the time, I treat blog posts like a journal entry, but this week all I have been wanting to do is veg. I have been watching the YouTube series 'Hot Ones" which has been pretty addictive and if you haven't watched celebrities being interviewed while their mouths are on fire, it's worth it! 

Purchased by me

MAKEUP | Avon Cashmere Complexion Longwear Foundation and Concealer

Nothing excites me more now than a fresh bottle of foundation to try out. I didn't always used to be this way with the first foundation review only appearing on Cosmetic Proof in 2013 because that is when I first used foundation EVER! Up until then, it was Asian BB creams or the Pur Minerals 4 in 1 Pressed Mineral Foundation because it was powder and easy to blend. Liquid foundations would freak me out because I was convinced they would be cakey, but over the years I have found that by taking care of the "canvas underneath", most foundations get a fair chance and give me a good idea of how they wear and look throughout the day.

 PR gifted

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER REBOOT Active Care Revitalizing Foundation

I was trying to figure out the last time I talked about MAKE UP FOR EVER  and it was last freakin' year! For a brand I use so consistently and have a plethora of product reviews for on the blog, I feel a little guilty for letting them slide this last year. Quite honestly, I have let a lot of things slide over the last two years mainly because of work so I have been looking at this time at home as a way to get back to what makes me happy and it seems that I need to find a way to not let my day job zap all of my energy. If I don't get back to work next month, you can bet that you will see more of MUFE, but even if I do go back, I have been organizing and making a list of things that I would like to share as this is a brand with A LOT of products! The last thing I discussed were the Artist Nude Creme Lipsticks and after buying two more since that post, they are still one of my most used longwearing liquid lipsticks. Now, we get into one of MUFE's specialities and that is FOUNDATION. I want to say there is a new formulation every year and just when I think MUFE has covered it all, they come out with REBOOT which, after close to 3 weeks of testing, has been a bit of tempestuous journey for both of us.

PR gifted

MAKEUP | Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation - I've Found "The One"!

Last Fall, I finally got a chance to try a Charlotte Tilbury foundation and it was very disappointing. After years of loving her eye, lip, cheek and skincare products (dry sheet mask please!) I was heartbroken when the Airbrush Flawless Foundation just did not work for me (see my sad face here), but there was still another foundation to try that people seemed to like and that was the Magic Foundation!

 PR gifted

MAKEUP | Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation

While I can safely say I have tried almost every type of product from Charlotte Tilbury from lips to eyes to skin, I had yet to try ANY of her foundations until the new Airbrush Flawless Foundation. Even my husband took the time to tell me about this post he saw on Reddit about "the new Charlotte Tilbury foundation that covers up rosacea" so it's definitely a foundation that is makin' the rounds! 

PR sample

MAKEUP | NYX Bare with Me Collection

OMG, I didn't intend on being away from this space for as long as this, but hopefully some of you caught that I was still alive and on Instagram especially with my Story feed being filled with beauty goodness from the #LDBeauty event this week! Lots of fun things coming soon from so many brands including NYX! Though I received the newest Bare With Me Collection from Chickadvisor, it was showcased during the LDBeauty event and it is a stark contrast to their more adventurous products! Their Cosmic Lips glosses were one of my favourite releases and ever since then I haven't really come back to NYX even though I know they have incredibly solid products. Their Jumbo Eye Pencils and their Slide On Eyeliners are fantastic and were the first few makeup products I ever talked about on the blog so I feel like I have reconnected with an old friend when I gave this new collection a go!

PR samples provided by Chickadvisor 

MAKEUP | Mary Kay Timewise Matte 3D Foundation

You know what I have just noticed? It seems that I only have blog reviews for foundation every summer despite switching things up during the colder months as well. Maybe summer just feels like a good time to do it, but for the last 3 years that seems to be the trend for me so in keeping with old habits, here is my review for the new Mary Kay Timewise Matte 3D Foundation! 

PR samples

KBEAUTY | Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance SPF 50

I knew this week would kick my ass. The last couple of days have been a blur and though I love blogging, there are times like this past week where my day job comes first because I like a little bit of extra money and the occasional praise from my bosses. The last three nights have had me coming home much later than anticipated and blogging just wasn't in the cards, but this week is a less stressful week for me so I look forward to the breathing room. 

For the last couple of weeks I have been testing the Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance SPF 50*, which is the radiance-enhancing and hydrating version of Laneige's classic BB Cushion foundation. This is great for all skin types and though I tend to use liquid foundations more often, there is something so quick and compact about cushion foundations which Asian cosmetics companies have really perfected.

PR samples

MAKEUP | MAKE UP FOR EVER Matte Velvet Skin Foundation *Flexi-Fit Formula* with Before and After

It has been a hot minute since I have talked about actual foundation and though I don't do a lot of individual foundation reviews, I am quite the foundation hoarder as I consider it to be on the cusp of a skincare product so I will spend what I have to to get that perfect finish! MAKE UP FOR EVER was the first foundation brand I ever tried and I remember when I first started blogging being terrified to review the Pro Finish when it first came out because I just didn't think I would know how to apply it or make it look good. Turns out that I didn't need to worry because MUFE has been making solid foundation formulations for YEARS so that even a novice like me could figure it out! I have been a faithful MUFE foundation user since my first experience with Pro Finish and when Matte Velvet Skin ($48.00 CDN) got a revamp last month, I was immediately curious as to how a full coverage matte finish foundation would work with my dry skin. Spoiler alert: I have never had such flawless skin in such sweltering summer heat!  

PR samples