First real foundation I had. I initially wanted to get one from Clinique but all testers in Douglas in my city were old and they didn't have all shades, plus I didn't know for which one I should go (now I'd aim for Superbalanced) and I had a light coverage one from Clarins recommended instead since it had my exact shade. I forgot about it for few months and when I came back I had Skin Illusion Velvet recommended instead since it should be in theory better for my combination skin. I got shade 103N, which is a light neutral but now I think it's too dark and it leans a bit into orange.
The bottle is really nice, well made and mine after good 8 months of use is still looking like new. It has airless pump which keeps the foundation fresh, it distributes a little bit only. Bottle is clear although if you didn't let it sit for a while you won't really see how much is left.
It's a liquid, medium coverage foundation. It spreads really nicely both with fingers and with sponge (which I usually use), for good coverage you only need one layer - even without concealer it covered all of my redness without problem. You don't need to use much of it to achieve that effect, mostly because of how well it spreads and works out on the face. The finish is natural, but more on matte side which I prefer.
It does last, but I think it's better match for someone with normal, dry or normal-dry combination skin. With combination oily skin... it won't suck in the oil good and you still need to use blotting papers and re-powder spots that get oily. I didn't notice any breakouts while using it, also it just does feel nice on my face. It was probably first foundation which I actually liked, but nowadays I skip it since I got a powder with high enough coverage that I don't really need it anymore. Unless I have pictures of myself taken or I go to some event.
Rating: overall: 4/5 formula: 4/5 price:4/5 efficiency: 5/5 coverage: 5/5 packaging: 5/5
Since Douglas (honestly I prefer them to Sephora. Sephora doesn't carry Clarins makeup by the way, which is dealbreaker for me. Only their skincare, which I can get in Douglas anyway) in my city is so badly stocked and again, they didn't have (now discontinued) airbrush concealer from Clinique. Which had the cool pink tone I need for my under-eye circles that are so bad already, it's even worse when I use lilac or purple eyeshadow without good under-eye concealer. I ended up getting recommended a concealer from Dr. Eris makeup line, which always felt kinda off for me? It always was a skincare brand for me first and foremost and I used Pharmaceris line for years (both for Acne and Sensitive skin mostly because of my dry cheeks). I got it anyway since formula at first feel alright, since it's pretty liquid and easy to spread. Unfortunately I was wrong.
I had the shade 1, Light which is just such a dark orange shade, even darker than my foundation! I only found out about it since I got a different concealer two months ago... It's easy to apply and nicely spread out, but it does collect in under-eye creases very badly. Even after spreading it out more it still will stick and stay in them, even after hours and hours. When I skipped foundation it actually wasn't that bad and it kept some of the oil at the bay. It also was a decent eyeshadow base, given my very, very oily eyelids. Even with some advantages I just didn't like it that much. Coverage was so bad, that it barely covered dark circles. It didn't do great job with my reddness (that used to be worse) and spread out it was really streaky. Adding more of it didn't help and I only could add more coverage with pressed powder (usually used with a sponge). Efficiency isn't the best and with regular makeup you'll use it up rather quickly.
Packaging is nice and good quality, none of chrome gold cap didn't chip off like it's often the case. Aplicator isn't the best, it's just standard one. It does twist off and close well, it didn't break which kept it fresh for longer. Formula seems to go bad after 6-7 months - it started to irritate my skin and it probably was what caused irritation around my eyes for a while. For it's price it's really bad, since cheaper ones which will be as bad, at least have better price to quality ratio.
Rating: overall: 2/5 formula: 3/5 price:1/5 efficiency: 3/5 coverage: 2/5 packaging: 5/5
Inglot is a brand that just excels in some products, but sucks with others. Most of colorful cosmetics from them are great and insanely good for mid-range price point with massive color selection (although since few years they are steadily discontinuing certain eyeshadow colors) and it's actually afordable alternative to MAC (which always felt so forced in my country, since it came so late here when Inglot filled similar niche way earlier and MAC stayed in the sphere of unavailable Cosmetics from America you could have got from your family living in diaspora). Eyeshadow is great, lipsticks, blushes, eyeliners, eye pencils, lipliners, lipglosses - this is what is good. The rest? It's extremely hit or miss. I heard that foundations from them are mediocre and powders kinda suck (my mom had loose one once and she didn't like it that much), but I still wanted to try something from this cosmetic group from them. I was on hunt for new concealer since my previous one was going bad, so I decided to try All Covered.
Shade range is a bit limited but apropriate to market it mostly gets sold in. I like that they have really light, yellowish neutral shades which are so hard to get. I picked 102 myself which at first feels too light but in fact is really close to my actual skin tone, since on my face I see it differently because of all of redness. It's thicker and high coverage, but still pretty good to work out. It dries instantly and becomes kind of rubbery, adding in more layers makes it even worse. Coverage is very high, but my dark circles don't fully covered - but I don't mind it since it does better job than my previous one. You don't need to use much of it to get full coverage, only bit under both of my eyes was even too much... It works great under the eyes, but on rest of face or as foundation substitute? It's bad. Formula doesn't suck oil and it will leave you with extremely oily mess, it doesn't work as great as eyeshadow base either. Especially with very oily eyelids. It held most of the color, but I had colors migrate and transfer...
The tube is very sturdy, classic, not overblown design. Applicator is actually great. It's a bit bigger but it's flexible which lets you be more precise. Price is good with this level of coverage, good aplicator but formula isn't the best and if you want to use it for something else than under eye area - better have normal or dry skin.
Rating: overall: 3,5/5 formula: 2/5 price:4/5 efficiency: 5/5 coverage: 5/5 packaging: 5/5
I avoid loose powder since they are annoying unless you use a puff to apply it. With my (and my mom's) bad previous experiences with (probably from faulty batch) Clinique loose powder I decided to get pressed instead. I had good experiences with Blended Face Powder before and it was one of few cosmetics I used ages ago that didn't make my face itch and it's why I returned to their powders years later.
It's a pressed, high coverage compact powder which was what I want. It's universal since I can use it as my main powder and I can use it to touch up everything during the day. It gives really high coverage, but it does matter how you apply it. With added sponge it's very cake-y on foundation, but with brush it gives same effect as loose powder. On moisturizer only with sponge it gives pretty natural effect and high coverage, which is that high I don't need to use much of concealer. With brush it's very subtle and more transparent. Formula is nice and it feels extremely silky while being applied on face. Efficiency is good, since in time I started to use it again and I hit the pan, not much of it was gone - I suspect it will last me hopefully until March.
Unfortunately it might get shiny quickly, depending on how oily my skin is at exact moment. Sometimes it's 2 hours, sometimes it's 5. With proper blotting papers and a touchup will last a while, it does stick to your face well - I only had it transfer into my hats or high jacket collar. No falling residue, like falling off from face. It somehow becomes more natural looking when you have it on your face for longer... Now I'd probably would go for something properly mattifying with formula for oily skin.
Packaging is great. It's sturdy and it lasts, even if carried in my bag almost daily. Sponge is decent and it's easy to wash, it doesn't become hard but it's hard to find thin enough replacement one to fit in. I heard it was sold before with a blush, so a sponge is bit of downgrade... I could have been a powder puff...
Rating: overall: 4/5 formula: 4/5 price:3,5/5 efficiency: 4,5/5 coverage: 5/5 packaging: 5/5
I skipped blush for years. I never knew what colors would suit me. Kinda like my mom, who still uses same Avon pearl blush which is overdue to be replaced. I didn't think about it that much until I needed to do a full face of makeup for an important event I attended. I was thinking about getting one before and I even tried some shades in Inglot (rip, they cut inventory in half and moved to an island stall while ago in my city) and I got recommended what I should look for so deeper, brownish pinks. I didn't like any in Inglot since they all were so loud.
I forgot about blush until early Septemeber and I had to buy it last minute, so I don't know why I hit Douglas and for no reason, my brand loyalty hit again and I asked for Clinique blush testers. They had 5 out of 6 shades in range and sales lady told me most would fit me but some were too light or too peach or coral when I tried them, so only 120 left as option since I liked it the most. Unfortunately sales lady at first couldn't find it in the stand's drawers before she found it in sale basket... I also got a new and my current favorite lipstick from that bin.
It's a nice pressed powder blush which is really easy to pick up on a brush. Pigmentation is very high, even if most of shades are really subtle in packaging, they are intense but not loud on face. It's a bit too high even and I go over it with powder to tone it down. It lays down great and I don't know why many people complain it doesn't work out great. With my barely existent experience with blush I could apply it properly and blend out well even with small brush from the set. It lasts extremely well, it looked the same as it was when I applied it in the moring after 12 hours or more. Efficiency is insane, I barely made a dent in it while wearning makeup regularly for a while.
Brush from the set is pretty good despite it's small size. Packaging is sturdy and high quality, like with other Clinique products with packaging like this. It's very pretty too, I like the minimal aesthetic they always had for their packaging.
Rating: overall: 5/5 formula: 5/5 price:3,5/5 efficiency: 5/5 pigmentation: 5/5 packaging: 5/5
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