Tag: NARS

On the Search for the Perfect Foundation: Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Extreme

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Estee Lauder’s Resilience Lift Extreme

Cost: $37.50 US Dollars

Available at any Estee Lauder counter at your local department store (Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, etc.).

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Description: “Now, the radiance, the moisture, the resilience of youthful skin. Flawless makeup with proven lifting technology. Gives you every advantage against visible aging. Plus time-released hydration for all-day comfort. All-out radiance to bring back vibrancy. And the perfect finish to keep you looking ageless. Clinically proven: 100% of the women tested had more hydrated, more radiant, younger-looking skin.”

First Impression: This foundation has a light chemical scent to it (smells like the hand soap you find in a public restroom) and I think the finish is great once applied to the skin. This is one of three foundations I went to a counter and got professionally-matched when it came to the shade (Lancome and Chanel). The five other foundations were matched by myself (Guerlain, Dior, Smashbox, Korres, and Stila). I wish I had done it myself this time as the sales associate was able to match me a few shades darker than what I really am. I understand that I have a medium skin tone, but to make me red-brown when I’m yellow is unforgivable. I really like how it looks on my skin and how well it covers problem areas though so I’m going to have to get rematched later on in the future.

SPF: 15.

Shade: There are 15 whopping shades available. I was matched to be 4C1 Outdoor Beige (03) and I have to say that my face looks significantly redder and darker than the rest of my body. People always say that your face, body and hands do not match but in my case (I always wear sunscreen and take measures to protect my skin) there is only one shade of a difference between my face and chest and none between my face and hands. I told the sales associate that I am prone to redness which can throw off the matching process if you’re not careful where you match the foundation to on my face. After checking out their website, (based on my skin temperature), I am either a 2W1 Dawn (18) or a 3N1 Biscuit (17). I would not take their labeling seriously as 4C1 turned out to be warm instead of cool.

Finish: Radiant (luminous). I think Resilience Lift has one of the most pleasant finishes so far. If I saw a person wearing this foundation, I would definitely compliment them and ask what it was that they were wearing. One thing I noticed about Resilience Lift is that it’s satin in the right areas (hairline and outer areas of forehead as well as the cheek area) and highlights the right areas (nose bridge, under eye area, and chin) as well

Texture: This foundation’s texture is the typical kind you would get from a liquid foundation. It’s not watery in my opinion and I would classify it in the medium category as opposed to being “light” or “heavy/dense”.

Coverage: The coverage is medium to full. Resilience Lift is easy to layer on and is buildable. It covered all of my redness and broken capillaries. It evens out my skin tone without making my face look 2D. The light-reflecting pigments are top-grade in this foundation because I don’t find that I have to use highlighter to bring light to the typically darker areas of my face such as the corners of my nose. This foundation has slightly more pigments than regular foundations (still not more than NARS) and that’s a huge plus. I have darker spots around my mouth (which makes me look like I have a moustache) but those are the veins underneath my skin since my skin is so thin. I think using a concealer would almost guarantee any wearer a flawless finish. (I’m not wearing concealer for my foundation reviews).

Looks nice, just the wrong shade though.

Workable: This foundation feels slightly lighter than NARS Sheer Glow and it is another foundation that is easy to work with. Layering is easy although I would not suggest layering on more than two light layers.

Longevity: Resilience Lift does set without compromising the sheen that you see right after application. This foundation lasts a long amount of time because it actually does set and because it has a low transfer rate. The foundation lasts all day (I would honestly say about 8 hours) and using a powder would prolong its lifespan even more. For an oilier skin type, I would recommend powder touch ups.

Application: This foundation was actually really fun to blend into my skin. The foundation did not emphasize any of my dry patches even after some micro-exfoliation from all the blending I did. This foundation can be applied through a variety of methods without having to be cooled or warmed up. Make sure you shake before application.

Type of skin: Estee Lauder’s Resilience Lift is great for anyone who needs a “lift”, radiance, and a finish that doesn’t look like plaster on your face. I’m sure this will be one of my everyday foundations! Estee Lauder’s website claims it’s even suitable for wearers who are prone to getting acne so I’ll assume that oilier and combination skin types can wear this as well.

Packaging: The packaging of Resilience Lift Extreme is mostly synonymous with most of Estee Lauder’s other foundations as it comes in a frosted glass bottle with a gold cap. Don’t forget that this foundation also comes with a pump. I have a vintage bottle of Youth Dew from Estee Lauder and I’m glad that the gold cap is still an accent to most of their products.

The Verdict: Resilience Lift Extreme really does what it sets out to do. It has great coverage, looks very natural, and does not dry out my skin even further. As a matter of fact, this foundation delivers continuous hydration to eliminate midday dryness. It’s buildable and is priced quite reasonably at $37.50. There is one thing about this foundation that does bother me and it’s the scent. I didn’t find it to be a nuisance when I first applied the foundation but the fragrance hasn’t exactly dissipated. I have a slight headache at the moment and I will have to try this foundation again on another day to see if it is just me or if it’s the foundation that is bothering me. I have a very sensitive nose but I’m not usually bothered by fragrances at all. I would definitely buy this foundation; I just have to make sure that the fragrance is not what’s really bothering me. I definitely have to get the right shade match because I am definitely not walking around looking super brown in the face!

We’re halfway through the marathon of foundation reviews and I’ve found two that I want to buy already (this and Guerlain’s). I’ll update this foundation review in a few days. I’ll be reviewing Dior Skin Nude tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed the reviews and have a good night. Also, try not to laugh too hard at the photo of me wearing the foundation that’s too many shades darker than what I really am. :)

On the Search for the Perfect Foundation: Guerlain Lingerie de Peau

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Guerlain’s Lingerie de Peau

Cost: $59.00 US Dollars

Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s, and Bloomingdale’s.

Lingerie de Peau by Guerlain. My shade is 04 Beige Moyen.
Lingerie de Peau by Guerlain. My shade is 04 Beige Moyen.

Description: An invisible foundation that wears like a second skin. This unbelievably silky formula creates a natural radiance that captures and reflects light to reveal the look of naturally perfect skin. Imperfections are erased and coverage lasts all day long.

First Impression: Lingerie de Peau from Guerlain is one of the most luxurious foundations you’ll ever come across. True to its description, it “wears like a second skin” but looks like you have nothing on. It has a very pleasant fragrance that isn’t as necessarily as noticeable as something like the Chanel foundations. I would say it did have a tinge of an astringent scent, kind of like witch hazel. I was surprised at how easy it was to apply and how nice the finish was. I think there should be a larger shade variety and I love the name

SPF: 20. It’s low enough to look good in photos and it’s definitely higher than the SPF 15 you’ll find in most foundations. I didn’t have any issue with flashback when it came to this foundation. of this foundation which literally translates to “lingerie of the skin”. When it comes to the oxidation factor, I think it’s relatively low. The shade stayed the same throughout the day without turning orange or darker.

Shade: Nine shades available (04 Beige Moyen for me) although not all 9 will be available at your local Sephora (there were only five at my local Sephora).

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Foundation sample from Sephora in Shade 04.

Finish: Naturally radiant. Just to explain myself, I would say that it is very natural-looking and the foundation will provide the user with a slight glow (not a disco ball of course). I would say that Lingerie de Peau’s finish is slightly less radiant than NARS Sheer Glow. I believe this foundation has light-reflecting particles which produce a beautiful, airbrushed look.

Texture: Light. The texture of this foundation is very light and slightly watery. It reminded me of a tinted moisturizer. Once you apply it, I feels “wet” and slightly damp. However, it does set within a matter of minutes.

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Coverage: Medium to Full. On how well it covers problem areas such as my broken capillaries and the occasional blemish , I give this a 9. I think this foundation is highly-pigmented and less is really more. I’m going to say that it is even more pigmented than NARS Sheer Glow despite its light texture (and NARS is known for how pigmented their products are).

Workable: This foundation is very workable and a little really does go a long way. I’d say that a nickel-sized drop would be sufficient for the entire face including problem areas such as acne scars and ruddiness. The foundation blends easily and can be layered if desired although I believe the coverage is more than enough when it comes to Lingerie de Peau. I find this foundation to be easy to blend and the opacity can be easily controlled.

Longevity: This foundation is very long-wearing even though Guerlain does not market this product as a long-wear foundation. I wore it for about 12 hours (as I will do with all of the foundations I review) and despite how dry my skin is, the foundation stayed put and did not emphasize my dry patches at all. Even after I picked at the dry patches on my face (still trying to kick the habit), Lingerie de Peau did not crack whatsoever (even Peter noticed that it stayed put). I did not wear powder during my test run of this foundation so I will have to say that it has great staying power although you may be slightly shinier if you are an oily type (It shouldn’t deter you from powdering if you need to). I didn’t even want to put powder because the finish was so natural and healthy-looking. I also want to say that this foundation is great when it comes to not transferring even without the usage of setting powder. I blow my nose throughout the day and the foundation had little to no issue when it comes to transferring.

Application: I used a dense mineral makeup brush for this application. It is Sephora’s Classic Mineral Powder Brush #45 ($24). I typically use this brush because it wastes less product, blends, and stipples all at once. It is not a flat-top but more of a dome-shaped brush. I feel like it has the benefits of a stippling brush without all of the disadvantages such as micro-exfoliation that we dry skin people avoid like the plague because we hate those flakes. Guerlain advises that you use your hands but I think that it is up to the consumer and what type of coverage you are going for. Since the texture of this foundation is so light, it would be fairly easy to apply with your fingers. Also, be sure to shake your foundation!

Type of skin: I would say that this foundation is perfect for all types unless you are extremely oily or very sensitive (due to the added fragrance in this foundation).

Packaging: I like the bottle because it is dense, clear, and the fact that it has a pump. I have owned foundations packaged in glass bottles before and I can only hope that Guerlain’s bottle is much more durable than Lancome’s (I had one break on me one day after I dropped it on my bathroom tile). I can see why glass would be the packaging of choice (think luxury!). However, a squeeze-tube version would be great for touch-ups and application-on-the-go.

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Before makeup. Excuse my face lol.
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Here is what I look like after applying all of my makeup. I look super tired. (DIdn’t sleep well.)

The Verdict: I think this is a great foundation. A lot of thought has been put into its formulation and packaging. Like a demure lace bra, I think Guerlain’s Lingerie de Peau is a foundation every woman (and teenager) should own. This foundation makes putting on your makeup a delightful and ritualistic treat. I honestly feel glamorous wearing Lingerie de Peau (and nothing about my skin is glamorous). Guerlain hit the nail on the head with Lingerie de Peau and I’m glad to say this will definitely be replacing NARS Sheer Glow as my every day foundation. It has exceptional coverage, a light texture (that even foundation haters will love), and provides a flawless finish. Not once were my dry patches beginning to flake off during the 12-hour test run and that to me is truly amazing. So what if it’s $59? It’ll probably last you a year or so and you’ll look beautiful every day that you’re wearing it.

I hope you enjoyed this review and this is the first of the eight foundations I’ll be reviewing this month. I just can’t wait to trying out all of them so I can go purchase my own bottle of Lingerie de Peau.