Tuesday 20 June 2017

Lightweight Bases...



Seeing as we seem to be into the summer season good and proper here in the UK I thought I would talk you through some of the lightweight bases which I will be alternating throughout the warmer weather. As I have got older heavier foundations are becoming less and less appealing to me. I find myself wanting coverage but in the lightest and quickest way possible, especially during the day. Comfort is key and these 3 below fit that category. 

Bareminerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream SPF30
This has been a long-standing favourite of mine but I have been particularly loving this recently. I know I am the same as many but I fall in and out of love for foundations/bases quite often and this one had been sat neglected for a while (since beginning of the year) till last month when I dusted it off and started using it daily.

When I first bought this I was sceptical to say the least as there had been quite a lot of hype surrounding it, but I can see why it is so popular. This is the most hydrating base out of the bunch but not in the sense that it will leave skin looking greasy. It is a thick cream but once applied on the skin it immediately transforms into a lightweight gel texture, hence the name. It feels very refreshing and soothing on the skin.

I find this is best applied with your fingers like a moisturiser. It is instantly blends into the skin leaving it looking healthier. Perfect for when you look knackered and need to look better! It is easily buildable and although you can achieve a good amount of coverage with this I always need concealer to cover any dark circles or blemishes. It just isn’t heavy duty enough for that. I set it with a powder and I am good to go. It lasts all day and doesn’t oxide, but I do have to top up with powder every few hours. I personally like using a small amount and building it gradually. I made the mistake initially of applying too much in one go and it just wouldn’t settle on my skin causing the product to slip and slide all over my face. I have also tried it with a buffing brush but again the results aren’t as good for me.  

A stand out factor of this base is that it contains some skin loving ingredients such as olive derived squalane, marine botanicals and humectants, all of which hydrate and nourish the skin. It is also fragrance, silicone, paraben and oil free which is pretty impressive. It is supposedly a best of a BB, CC and any other letter of the alphabet! I would agree that is multitasking, not only does it contain SPF 30 but it has enough hydration to potentially be used in place of a moisturiser for oily/dehydrated/combination skinned individuals. The claims say that when a clinical study took place on 62 people it was reported it increases hydration by 215% in one week. I personally cannot vouch for this, but I might experiment with it and see how it fares!

Surprisingly this base has worked well for me during the recent heatwave, usually its one I’d turn to in winter when my skin needs a little extra loving that my other bases can’t provide. There are 16 shades to choose from which I think is excellent, it originally started with 10 but due to popular demand they added more. I am shade 02 Vanilla which I think is perfect for my skin tone (lucky guess thanks to A Model Recommends blog post).

I already have a back up of this so that tells you how much I like it! It's currently on offer here at Escentual for £22.95



IT Cosmetics CC Cream SPF50


Firstly, excuse the horrid packaging, it’s been in all kinds of weathers as you can see! This base has already appeared in my beauty favourites a couple of months ago, it didn’t take me long to figure I loved it! Again, this has been hugely hyped in the blogging world but I believe for good reason.

I have been alternating this and the Bareminerals over the past few months. It gives more coverage than the Complexion Rescue and is better suited to oilier skins. The texture is thick and a little goes a long way. I use 1 small pump and that’s enough for my whole face as it is highly pigmented. This does an excellent job of evening out skin tone (as you would expect with a CC!) and concealing any redness and small blemishes, I still use concealer but if I am having a good skin day then sometimes I can go without as it gives a uniform look. I personally wouldn’t say it’s ‘high coverage’ as such, but gives more than most BB, CC creams. It leaves a non-greasy almost matte but not flat effect; I still use powder with this as I want to prevent my oily t-zone from appearing too quickly! I end up having to reapply powder every few hours but that isn’t an issue for me, and completely expected when using these kinds of bases, despite this the staying power is fantastic.

I find the best way to apply this is again with the fingers, when I purchased this through QVC it came with a brush but it applies better without it. I’ve found the product sort of disappears when used with a brush whereas the warmth of your fingers helps spread the product and provide seamless coverage using a lesser amount.

The most appealing factor for me is that it has SPF 50, this does not mean I go without sunscreen it just means my skin is better protected in the first place. It is another ‘do it all’ base with the addition of collagen, peptides, niacin, hyaluronic acid and vitamins A, B, C and E. I personally don’t see the benefit of these but it’s nice to know they are there. I haven’t seen a difference in brightening, skin texture or hydration with this as the claims state. To me this isn’t a replacement for a moisturiser or a sun cream, just a foundation/base with benefits.

I have the colour 'Fair' and this works very well for my skin, maybe a touch too pale but nothing that a bit of bronzer can’t fix. There is a downside, this cream only comes in 5 shades which proves quite limiting but I am sure that selection covers most bases. I would recommend using shade adapting drops if you do want to try this but can’t find an exact match. It’s worth the extra effort.

You can buy here at QVC with the Heavenly Brush for £35

(Left Bareminerals, Centre IT Cosmetics, Right Estee Lauder)

Estee Lauder Double Wear All Day Glow BB Moisture Makeup SPF30

Out of all 3 this is the one where the colour match isn’t great, I have Intensity 1.0 which is a little too peachy and light for my skin tone. It doesn’t look bad and with bronzer it’s fine. The big point to mention about this before I go any further is that since I purchased this over 6 months ago I have noticed that it has started to be phased out across most of the beauty retailers. I had a look around and most of the lighter shades are out of stock, I contacted Estee Lauder and they have confirmed that it has indeed been discontinued due to advancement in technology. They told me the Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick is apparently the closest match to this giving sheer to medium coverage whilst promoting natural radiance and a "no makeup" look that lasts all day (up to 8 hours).

Either way I will tell you my thoughts on this as it has been one I’ve been using on and off over the past few months especially during Spring…

The oil free formula is thick as you would expect from the Double Wear range. The foundation is one of my favourites so I thought this could be a good alternative for the warmer months. Despite the texture it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. I think I was expecting this to be more pigmented and heavier coverage than it is to be honest, it’s very lightweight and gives sheer – light coverage. It applies smoothly and blends into the skin easily, drying down quickly, leaving skin perky and fresh. I wouldn’t say it covers blemishes but it imparts an overall glow and healthiness to the skin.  

Although the description says ‘all day glow’ I was a little concerned I would end up a greaseball by the end of the day, but not so. It mirrors the same fantastic long lasting qualities that the foundation does and when set with powder my t-zone can stay oil free for quite some time! In fact, I would say this is better suited to oilier combination complexions like myself as opposed to drier skin types as I feel it has the potential to cling to dry patches and look patchy.

Even though this has been discontinued I’ll enjoy this tube while I have it and may look to try some other EL offerings in the form of the Daywear Makeup range going forward.

What are your favourite bases for Spring/Summer?

Thanks for reading xx
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2 comments

  1. I really want to try the IT Cosmetics CC Cream - I always hear such great things about it!

    xo, Liz
    http://lipstickandconfetti.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading! It's definitely worth a try, especially if you are looking for something that is lightweight but still gives a decent amount of coverage! :)xx

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