Café Review: Revlon Beyond Natural Skin Matching Makeup

Hermanas!!!

After years and years of being a 100% devout of MAX Factor pancake foundation; I decided to venture and check Revlon Beyond Natural Skin Matching Makeup out. Why? Because a long time ago I was also a follower of Revlon's color stay foundation; so there. That, and Jessica Alba looked fab in the advertisement --- shameless victim of advertisement, eh?

I bought the foundation in Medium + the primer. The claim for the foundation is:

Weightless foundation that goes on white and self-adjusts to match your exact skin tone. In 5 shades with a flawless finish. SPF 15.

Rojo, our resident chemist and beloved husband immediately cracked into a laughter so evil I felt like a high school dropout without a clue... He claims that there is no way that "skin matching thingie" can happen [insert 45 minute lecture on the properties of carbon and radicals and godknowswhatelse]. I used it anyway; and gave the offending man one of my mean Furia Mexicana looks (he has since redeemed himself).


I don't know about the matching your skin thing; but both the primer and the foundation are quite nice to apply. And my skin looks quite dewy and radiant. Now, if you have oily skin, DO NOT use this: it has the potential of making the dewy look become something greasy and nasty. It is-I think- quite oily. I took a look at my foundation brush after applying and it felt, well, greasy.

It did last all day and looked uniform. Coverage is not as good as my usual foundation; or maybe I am not used to the dewy look (I'm all about matte finishes). But I did not hate it (or you would have heard about it quite fast).

I would much more like if the packaging was with a pump; since something tells me I will not be able to squeeze everything out of the tube (toothpaste, anyone???). Same would apply for the primer, but that one has a transparent tube casing, so I shall forgive them.

Speaking of the primer; it works like a charm; and it does the trick. It feels almost like Smashbox's Photofinish (yup, for like 30% of the price!) and I quite liked it. This will most definitely be repurchased, si si si. From Revlon's website:

Evens skin for a smooth, virtually poreless appearance and creates a smooth base for lasting foundation.

-Lightweight, gel-like formula fills in pores and lines
-Clean, fresh fragrance refreshes your senses.

In short (because I sprained my wrist during an escapade to Trader Joe's today and I can't type), love the primer, semi-love the foundation. But for the price, it is quite the deal! Now, if you have serious discoloration going on, I would recommend you learn how to become a concealer mage. Like Rojo said: magical claims are usually suspect.

Siempre, Bella.

Gorgeous when late... my less-better-do routine

Hermanas!!!!

I have not been sleeping well as of lately. Hard time falling asleep; and much hardship getting up in the morning. Lots of things going around chez nous. Today, I actually overslept for one full hour. OMG - I despise being late, and I cannot stand people who are continuously late: beyond uncool. This called for an emergency less-better-do artistry moment.

With about 5 minutes to do my makeup, I had about 30 seconds to decide what was indispensable and what could be overlooked. This is what I used:



Foundation: a total must. the world might collapse around me; but I need foundation. I did not use primer today; but since my wonder of wonders, MAX FACTOR's pancake is very creamy and stays put all day; I did not suffer.


Blush: god bless MAC. I used Flirt and Tease; but I did not use bronzer or shimmer powder. MAC blushes are so pigmented that a couple of passes with my blush brush was more than enought to give me quick and nice definition.

Eyes: The gray shade in E.L.F. Drama in my lower lid, and a dash of the white shadow next to the brow bone. A dab of the darkest tone as a smudgy under-eye liner. I did not apply my usual powder or liquid eyeliner. I must say I also did not tint my eyebrows -- I just passed the eyebrow comb over them and that was that.

Mascara: 2 coats of Rimmel Glam'Eyes Mascara. Don't know about you chicas, but I LOVE my eyelashes. I was blessed with long curly babes; but I still adore wearing mascara.




Lips: a nice tap tap tap of E.L.F. candy shop tin in Berry.





Ufff!!! Five minutes and I was ready to face Seattle, and Rojo's brew of my favorite java made it a quite romantic coffee-n-dash moment. The best part was being complimented on my looks after this ordeal. SO I guess now I have my own less-better-do routine for emergencies!!!

Now now --- what are your minute-makeovers??? Do share!!!


Siempre, Bella.

Smashbox Photofinish Primer with SPF

Hermanas!!


I am not happy right about now. About 2 months ago I got a travel size Smashbox Photofinish Foundation Primer SPF 15, thanks to the recommendation of Seforito, my fabulous Sephora makeup artiste. Used it daily and seriously thought it was completely inconsequential. I think I got it because it was $9.00 bucks (impressive for a small size Smashbox product; and it lasts).

That was until this morning; when I was so sleepy I forgot to apply it before my Max Factor Pancake. O.M.G. I saw the difference right away. I usually pass a cotton round over my face to eliminate any brush streaks - without the Primer my face had a lot of streaks after applying the foundation. Not nice. Bella not happy. Apparently the godesses of well kept makeup decided to teach me a lesson. I learnt hermanas, I did.

And another reason to be quite unhappy about the ordeal is that I am leaving for Ciudad de México on Saturday - as in I do not have time *gasp* to go to Sephora again (did I mention Legally Smart FORCED me to go there yesterday??? Fine, I forced her, but that's my disclaimer).

With sense of impending doom; I am praying my little primer lasts; or that the Seattle airport duty free is open early so I can restock; or of course.... I can always drag Mamita Financiera, my cousin and BFF to do a makeup run in one of Mexico City's quite enviable monster malls. There's an idea. I feel better now.

In any case, the morales of the story are:

1. Trust your Sephora make up artiste. They know their biz (Seforito has not failed me yet in his recomendations for my canela skin, and that is a toughie).
2. Use a primer. Specially if you have after hours engagements to keep: that way you limit retouching to blotting your visage, or just applying some powder.
3. If you cannot use/afford a primer; moisturize. I asume you do this already; but just in case: record a tape for sleep-time background that says: clean, exfoliate, moisturize; clean, exfoliate, moisturize....
   

The regular price for the "big" bottle of this baby is $42 at Sephora. The travel size was considerably less since it was on the sale bin at the counter; though its running price is $17. You might want to try the small size first. It does last a long time; and if you will not use it everyday, it is enough.


Siempre, Bella

Before MAC there was MAX!!!

Hermanas!

Before MAC, there was MAX... Max Factor, that is. Those of us with a few gray hairs know what I'm talking about. Back in the 80's, when we all thought Princess Di would become the Queen of England and Cindy Lauper hollered like crazy dressed in dingy rags; Max Factor was known -and still is- as "The Make Up of Makeup Artists".

And when I say that, I mean it. Mr. Factor was the man in the Golden Age in Hollywood; when stars were Stars for decades, not for 1 movie and 1 bad CD. In Classic Stardust I found a lovely quick catch-up of Max Factor:.

One of the most popular line of cosmetics, Max Factor, turned regular people into dazzling stars. Max Factor, the founder, made the first make-up ever to be used in motion pictures. It was greasepaint in a tube. In later years, he went on to make lip gloss, fake eyelashes and the popular "pancake" powder.

Surprisingly, Max Factor originally started out as a wig maker, making wigs for some of the most popular stars and films. This included: Glinda's hair in The Wizard of Oz and even Lucille Ball's red wig. He even made Marlene Dietrich a wig that she insisted be dusted in 20K gold. When Mr. Factor was cleaning it, he ended up getting $24.32 in gold dust! Not surprisingly, everybody who was anybody was signed to Max Factor, including: Judy Garland, Clara Bow, Jean Harlow, Ginger Rogers and Betty Grable.

We are also talking about major sex appeal and high sophistication. Diva-licious gorgeousness. This was waaaaaaaaaaaaay before Eva Longoria was the face of L'Oreal; or Goddess Salma Hayek became Revlon's Poster Woman. Sigh, sigh, sigh. If you are not yet convinced; just remember Max Factor invented lip gloss. That's right. Perfectionist Diva Madonna was the face of Max Factor --- 'nuff said.

I have been using their products for a long time. My two faves are 2000 Calorie Mascara and the ultimate creme foundation: Pancake.

The mascara, which has been reviewed endlessly; is probably the best drugstore buy if you are in much need of a pick-me up for your lashes that will not send you to the PayDay Loan joint. It comes in both straight and curved brushes (I take the curved, graciasssss); and it is just lovely. Plus, it is usually $7. I know. Impressive. The only caveat for my 2000 Calorie love affair is that I find myself replacing the tube often: but that might just be because I do have a thing for not keeping mascaras for too long.


Now, pancake; goddess of foundations. I've heard horror stories of hermanas that just do not like it at all. Pan-cake activates with water; and since a lof of us do not use the bathroom as Beauty Central (I do); it is a pain to need the water there.

My double whammy solution: Have one of those disposable sprayers (from the dollar store) and fill in with H2O; or be smarty as I am and fill it in with your fave Toner. Ya-haaaa. I currently use Breath of Fresh Air from LUSH . That way, I kill two birds with one brush! I tone my face, and apply the Max Factor pancake in one. Max Factor is certainly something to try if you are addicted to good quality products. They rock. Always. And they will not make you go broke. Ever. They will just make you divalicious.

Now, go google the Max Factor Golden Age Divas (with a Capital D) .... there WILL be a January giveaway and you want to know the answers (and get the goodies!).


Siempre, Bella


p.s. cut this hermana a break; I am dabbling with photoshop.