Wednesday 12 December 2018

Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation



When Wet n Wild was first launched at Boots I was really interested in trying some products from their range. I am always on the look out for new foundations, and with my recent skin changes I am still working out what foundation works best with my skin.

I have never been able to wear matte foundation before, so I thought this was a good opportunity to see how this finish would now look on my skin. This is advertised is containing a light-diffusing complex which gives your skin a #nofilter matte finish. Before applying the foundation I use an oil free hydrating moisturiser and a glowy primer. I do not like my skin to look too matte, as I like a natural, glowy finish. This photofocus foundation aims to diffuse the flashback which happens when we take photos. They say that flashback occurs when white particles in makeup reflect when flash is used in photography, they have eliminated the white cast particles within this foundation to prevent this from happening. 

In my Boots store I was unimpressed with the shade range as there was only 4 shades available. I was doing a bit of research for this post and noticed that our Boots online has 6 shades, however on the USA Wet n Wild website they in fact have a shade range of 20. In 2018 for Boots to only invest in a range of 6 shades it is clearly never going to be inclusive of a range of skin tones. For me, the shade nude ivory is a perfect match for me. I probably go as far as saying that this is one of the most perfectly matched foundations for my skin which I own. The bottle says it is for a light neutral skin tone. I would usually go for a foundation which is more catered for a pink undertone, but on this occasion this is a great match. 

I am a big lover of a pump applicator, as you can control how much product you need and you do not end up wasting any. This foundation comes with a small flat shovel shaped applicator. It is definitely not my favourite chose of applicator as it ends up getting a bit messy. When I first started testing this out about 4 weeks ago I was applying this straight onto my Beautyblender, however I have now started applying it straight onto my skin and I now prefer to do this. It is a little bit messier but I find the product then blends in better into my skin. The bottle contains 30ml which is the standard size for any foundation. I hate bottles which are big and bulky and take up a lot of space in my makeup drawers. This has a glass bottle but it is small and compact and is easy to travel with.

The most important aspect of any foundation is its actual performance on the skin. I am happy to say that this has pleasantly surprised me. As I have already mentioned it blends in well, and offers a great coverage which is buildable. I think this would be okay also for acne prone skin as you can build up to the finish you desire. I have used this with a variety of concealers and they have blended together well, and have not become patchy or had an affect on the foundations finish. I have worn this to work many times over this test period, and I have been really happy with its longevity on the skin. Overall, I think for £5.99 it is a bargain and a great high street find. In terms of the flashback, it definitely does not make me look shiny in photos especially in my T-zone areas. I have been recommending this to my friends as it reminds me of Charlotte Tilbury's magic foundation but £25 cheaper.

Lucy
xoxo


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Wednesday 5 December 2018

Aloe Vera Vaseline Lip Balm


On my roaccutane journey my most harsh side effect was definitely how dry my lips became. I was prepared and bought a lot of different lip balms in preparation. I bought budget and high end lip balms to try and prevent the dreaded dry lips. I started out using good old Blistex and it wasn't until about month 3 the toll really struck, and it was just not doing the job. There was cracks and bleeding to my lips and whilst browsing the aisles of Boots I decided to pick up a Vaseline stick lip balm, but not just any old Vaseline, their aloe vera version. Thank the lord I did because from that moment on my lips were on the way to recovery.

I can't pinpoint what makes this Vaseline so special. Hands down this out does any high lip balm. My little trick was to not let it harden. It needs to be soft in order for it really stop any dryness. For the cracking especially in the corners of my lips the Blistex relief cream was a little angel. It was brilliant at filling in those cracks and as it says providing relief. At some points it was so painful, I literally couldn't open my mouth fully or it would bleed. It was also during the warmer months meaning the dryness was inevitable anyway but the sunny weather definitely did not help.

We all know that aloe vera is known for being a calming and soothing property, and I think this is exactly why this excels compared to the other Vaseline products. After my revelation of reaffirming my love with Vaseline, I went and bought the original and the rose version to see the comparison. Although, they did both help with the dryness it just was not to the same standard as the aloe vera. It is a golden lip balm and gets 5 stars from me. Whilst doing a bit of research into the differences between all of the Vaseline range, I discovered that they all contain Vaseline's triple-purified petroleum jelly and Vitamin E. However, the aloe vera version as expected contains aloe extract which is the secret weapon to calming and soothing dry and irritated areas. I knew there must be other ingredients alongside the aloe vera, and it also contains cucumber extract and Vitamin A.

During my 8 months on roaccutane, I think I must have bought at least 6 of these chap sticks. Can I also say that the tin version is definitely different to the stick. I don't know whether it is how it is made when it is put into the tin or stick, but the stick also contains SPF 15. I do not how to describe exactly what makes this little stick so special, but all I can say is if you suffer from persistent dry, chapped lips look no further. 2 months post treatment and my lips are still dry, but thankfully nowhere near as bad as how they used to be. However, I still carry a green stick of joy wherever I go. My sister laughs as I have one in every handbag, and I always have one in my car to take to work. This is just another case of spending more does definitely not buy you the best. The best thing is Vaseline is always on offer in Boots and Superdrug and I have never paid more than £2 for one.

Lucy
xoxo


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