Beauty Product Reviews
Wonderful scent - too drying
The good thing about this soap is the wonderful scent - I would wear this as a perfume if I could. I don't like the pieces of fruit in the soap. I know it looks pretty and all but it just takes up so much space and the pieces don't have any purpose, they just fall out and clog the drain in the shower and zink. Also, my skin becomes so itchy and dry when I use this.
DESCRIPTION/GENERAL: Described as a full coverage, moisturising anti-aging foundation with dewy finish. Supposed to last 12 hours. 45 dollars for 30 ml (1 oz).
SHADE and MY SKIN: I am very pale with slight yellow undertones (BEHOLD, other brands, one must NOT be pink because they are pale!) I am about NC10, but that doesn't exist in MAC foundations, but NW10 does and it seems to work.
I have very good skin now (knock on wood), just a few discoloration spots but nothing to cry about. I had bad acne before and I have used this for a long time so I can say how it performs on my skin with acne, my skin when it was dry and my skin when it was oily.
I am most certainly impressed with Shiseido's shade range. I had never really found a great match in foundations before I met this foundation! (I have now also discovered that MUFE Mat Velvet in 15 Alabaster works, and NARS Sheer Glow in Siberia is good as well, just a bit more yellow. I mostly use MAC Pro Longwear Concealer mixed with Illamasqua Skin Base in White, 50/50).
"O" = Ochre = Yellow/Warm "I" = Ivory = Neutral "B" = Beige = Pink/Cool
I got this in O00 Very Light Ochre, the palest yellow shade. I found that I00 also works on me, which is the palest neutral shade. I haven't tried B00 but since it's more pink I probably wouldn't match it. I have also tried Shiseido's other foundations, and the shades don't seem to vary alot but don't quote me on that.
APPLICATION: This is a bit too thick to apply easily with a stippling brush, which usually is my favourite way to put on foundation. With this I take a very small amount at a time and pat it into my skin with my fingers. I would never recommend using a flat foundation brush for this, that would be asking for trouble - it's way too thick and you need to be careful not to cake it on. The coverage is so good you can use a very little amount and it will be enough.
TEXTURE: Thick, gel/mousse-like liquid. Very creamy and easy to blend. Dries slowly and is very moisturising. This is also high in silicones (great for mature skin and wrinkles), so if you're sensitive, beware.
FINISH: Dewy/satin finish, moisturising. If you are dry you don't necessarily need to powder, but if you are oily you most definitely need to powder (though I wouldn't recommend this for oily skin because it's so dewy and moisturising). I always powder my face, I feel it slides around too much and creases if I don't - but that's for all foundations, not just this one. Doesn't accentuate flakes.
COVERAGE: This was not my favourite foundation when I had acne, but when I used it it covered everything. This is absolutely a full coverage foundation but can be used as medium coverage if you sheer it out with a primer, moisturiser or just use a different application technique like sponges.
LONGEVITY: So to the only problem, which is the reason I skip this sometimes. I don't find this lasts as long as other foundations I have tried (especially MAC Pro Longwear Concealer, which I use as a foundation, lasts very long). This claims to last 12 hours, and it looks okay after 12 hours but not perfect like when you first put it on. I guess it's because this is so creamy and moisturising.
MY PRIMER AND POWDER: I use Smashbox primer and NARS Loose Powder in Siberia or Make Up Store's loose powder in Milk.
CONCLUSION: A heavy, full coverage foundation for dry/mature skin. I would give this a 5 if it wasn't for the lasting power. Will repurchase because I love the shade, feel and finish.
I have tried all concealers by MAC, and this is the best one by far. I use this more as a foundation than as a spot concealer.
MY SKINTONE AND CONDITION: I'm very pale with yellow undertones (~ BEHOLD, other brands, one must not be pink only because they are pale! ~), about NC10 if that existed. I can use NW10 which is available in Studio Fix Fluid. Other foundations I have found that matched my skin tone are MUFE Mat Velvet in 115 and Shiseido Radiant Lifting foundation in OO0.
At the moment, my skin is good (knock on wood) with just a few spots of discoloration, like freckles or old acne spots. Nothing to cry about. I had bad acne before and this concealer has been with me all this time *sentimental*
SHADE: NC15 in foundations is always too dark for me. The only one that comes close is the Studio Sculpt foundation in NC15, but still too dark. I usually find a match in concealers though, except this one. (read comparison at the bottom) It's already too dark when I put it on, and then it oxidizes like nothing else and becomes about two shades darker. That sucks. Though, I mix this with a white foundation (Illamasqua Skin Base) to match my skin tone, so it's never a problem as long as I mix it.
COVERAGE: Really full coverage, even when I had acne this covered it all. Now I sheer it down as much as I can, for example by mixing with a primer and using my hands/ a stippling brush.
APPLICATION/TEXTURE: I usually dot this on my face with my hands and pat it into the skin, and then I even out the uneven edges with a clean stippling brush. I am not a fan of sponges or flat foundation brushes so I haven't tried that one. I like how it melts into my skin when I use my hands. Can be a little hard to blend, but I often mix primer in so it glides on better.
FINISH: This was hands down my favourite concealer (used as a foundation) when I had acne. This was the only thing that could actually fully cover my discoloration, and actually evened out the skin texture a little - with other words, didn't emphasize bumps or dryness. It just leaves a soft matte/natural finish, no signs of dryness and still controls oil than anything I have tried.
LONGEVITY: Lasts well over the promised 15 hours for me! Let's put it this way: I took the train to my neighbour country, walked 3 miles in rain, went to a sweaty concert, walked 3 miles in rain again, took the train home, walked in rain home, and it looked perfect in the mirror. That was like 12 hours of rain and wind. Then it has lasted about 26 hours on me before, when I had a horrible day and had no chance to take my makeup off. So, yeah, it's like concrete. Controls oil better than anything else I have tried. If I usually have to blot after 2 hours, I only blot this once every 5 hours or not at all.
PACKAGING: Oh mother of God I hate this packaging. I have several "empty" bottles with plenty left on the bottom that I CAN'T GET OUT. So frustrating. Except that I like that it's in a pump bottle, but I would love to be able to take the top/pump off.
CONCLUSION: This was the only thing that could make my acne skin look decent and the only thing that helped me feel pretty again. Now that the acne is gone this is still a staple of mine, and I still use it when I want my makeup to last all day/all night. I will continue to buy this as long as MAC doesn't do anything stupid and discontinue it. ♥
MAC CONCEALERS COMPARISON: - MAC Select Cover-Up - sheer coverage, runny/watery liquid, ashy shades but pale enough for me. Creases, doesn't last. Comes in squeeze tube. - MAC Studio Finish - full coverage, thick texture, the shades are great - pale enough for me. Looks cakey, lasts but looks awful after a while. Comes in pot. - MAC Select Moisturecover - sheer to medium coverage, liquid (thicker than Cover-Up), shades I find too pink (both NC and NW), a little too dark for me. Creases incredibly, doesn't last at all. Comes in tube with wand. - MAC Mineralize Concealer - light to medium coverage, liquid (same as Moisturecover), great shades and pale enough, lasts a little better than the others. Doesn't crease that bad. Comes in a tube with a brush-like wand. - MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer - incredible full coverage, very thick and dry texture, the palest shades of all. Looks cakey and awful on me, but could be great on others. Came in a pot. (Discontinued) - MAC Pro Longwear Concealer - full coverage, liquid but thicker than Moisturecover and Mineralize. Love it.