pale Archives - Irish Beauty Blog Beautynook

Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation

Am I right in saying the Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation has had a bit of a moment since it’s release? Some may say blogging is dead, but I 100% wanted to try this foundation because of all the hype online.

Now I will say I have seen some not so great things said about it. But sure balance is key in this industry and not everything can work for everyone (generally). We’re all different, looking for different things and different results. It’s one thing I love about this beauty world.

I picked up the Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation when ASOS were having a 20% off everything sale. I had gone in to buy it a couple of times in Brown Thomas, but they never have my shade. It’s also important to note too, Nars counters never give out samples, which I think is a load of baloney! But sure didn’t I buy it anyways 🙂

So what do Nars say about this foundation? They say it has:

‘Liquid texture.
Luminous finish.
Fade resistant for up to 16 hours.
Available in 33 shades’.

I colour matched myself to the shade ‘Mont Blanc’. And it’s a pretty perfect match.

My thoughts on the Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation are kind of contradictory if I’m being completely honest. I love the packaging, it’s very sleek. I love the formula. In my humble opinion it’s has really good coverage, but not oh shit, I’ve just put plaster all over my face, good coverage. Although you can definitely build it up.

I wouldn’t call it ‘luminous’, although it’s not flat on the skin. There’s definitely a bit of a satin sheen to it. It blends like an absolute dream. And when I first apply it, I could probably say it’s one of my favourite foundations ever. The term ‘weightless’, I can 100% get on board with though! However, there is a ginormous but! Saying it’s a fade resistant for 16 hours foundation in my very humble opinion is just plain madness. I did google other opinions on it because obviously I would have more oilier skin, and people with combination and even drier skin types were of the same opinion. It just doesn’t last. On me, it starts to break down after probably the second hour. Considering I use two primers, powder and setting spray, its just not cool! Where I’m more combo, it lasts a little better. But still, at the end of a day wearing the Nars Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation, I look super greasy.

Here it is in action in video form:

I want to love this foundation with all of my heart. Dramatic much Gemma? I love the finish, the application and the coverage. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t last the test of time for me, even with all the makeup accoutrements 🙁 In all honesty I probably went for the wrong Nars Foundation. I should have went for the All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation. Lesson learned!

Have you tried it yet? I would love to know your thoughts on it.

xxx

September 14, 2018/by Gem

Makeup

Maybelline Super Stay Full Coverage Foundation

I had seen the Maybelline Super Stay Full Coverage Foundation advertised on their Instagram page. I often take screenshots of product, to either spread the word, or to remind me to keep an eye out for them in store.

Maybelline say that it: ‘delivers 24-hour wear for concentrated coverage and a flawless finish that doesn’t fade or shift all day’.I was in Dundrum Shopping Centre a few weeks ago and remembered to go to the stand and have a look. I was actually surprised we had it. We don’t always get the new releases as quickly as they do in the states.

I’ve been using it on and off for the past few weeks. Blindly, I picked up the shade Ivory. I didn’t swatch, I just picked it up assuming it was my shade. It’s probably a shade or even two too dark for me. There is a lighter shade in the collection, so if you’re a similar skin tone to me (NC20), get that one.

It definitely is a medium to full coverage foundation. The consistency of it isn’t too thick though. For example, I reviewed the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation & Concealer here a while ago. This is a full coverage foundation and I find it harder to work with because it’s thicker in formula. I also find I can feel it on my skin even after it settles. I don’t find this with the Super Stay.

For me, the Maybelline offering is easy to blend for a more full coverage foundation. It doesn’t dry too fast so I can use a brush or a sponge with it and they both work really nicely. It covers redness and applies well over textured skin.

The finish isn’t too drying either. I would class it as a satin matte finish. Not quite satin, not quite matte 🙂 It lasts reasonably well on me too. I do get some t- zone shine after a few hours (with primer and powder). There’s no oxidisation or major movement though.

Overall I really like it and find myself reaching for it a lot since I bought it.

I picked up the Maybelline Super Stay Full Coverage Foundation from Boots for €15.99. I think that’s a bit steep for a more ‘drugstore’ foundation. However I found it online here for €11.99. Have you tried it?

xxx

January 17, 2018/1 Comment/by Gem

Haul, Makeup

Fenty Beauty Bomb Baby Mini Lip And Face Set

You might have saw me chatting about John very kindly going into the Fenty Beauty counter for me here?

For Christmas, he popped in and picked me up the Killawatt Free Style Highlight Duo in ‘LGHTNG DST FIRE CRYS’.

And the limited edition Starlit Hyper-Glitz Lipstick in ‘Sci-Fly‘.

All by himself may I add. Major brownie points. But like the beauty brat I am, I decided to pop into the Fenty Beauty counter myself and amend the gift so slightly. Don’t judge me, I was thinking with my blogger hat on. I wanted stuff I would enjoy, but also that you guys might want to hear about. The highlight duos are gorge, but there’s loads of reviews on them now. The lipstick was lovely too, but it was probably a bit too daring for me on a daily basis 🙂

May I say the girls on the Harvey Nichols Fenty Beauty counter here in Dublin are all really lovely. So helpful and so willing to chat. When I went in initially to exchange, they were awaiting a new delivery of stock. I wanted the coveted Gloss Bomb, and there was none in store. So, they gave me a voucher to come back in, or use it over the phone. Unfortunately, you cannot use gift vouchers on the Harvey Nicks website as of yet.

I scrolled through the HN website and realised they had just gotten the Bomb Baby Mini Lip And Face Set! I thought these were a Sephora exclusive. Turns out, nope! I annoyed the girls on the counter one more time, and told them to ring me when they got a shipment in. They did, and know you’re up to date 🙂

So what is the Fenty Beauty Bomb Baby Mini Lip And Face Set? A mouthful first and foremost I know.

It is also a set that contains a mini Gloss Bomb Universal (5.5g).

This is the only gloss within the Fenty Beauty range. It’s an apricot shade with a multi coloured shimmer running through it. It has a light sweet fragrance to it. It’s not sticky on the lips and feels really nice and comfortable. Apologises for the remnants of a cold sore on my lip 🙁

The set also contains a mini Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Hu$tla Baby (2.2g).

This is a peachy golden highlight with a multi coloured shimmer running through it. The formula is soft and buttery and it applies really intensely.

For me, this was killing two birds with one stone. It meant I could try the infamous gloss AND a highlighter from the range for the same price as a lipstick! I’m not generally a big lip gloss kinda gal. But, so many people love it, so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. First impressions, they’re both lovely!You can buy the Fenty Beauty Bomb Baby set from Harvey Nichols in store or online here now for €20. I thought it would be helpful to note, you can order online for collection in store, or if you live within a ten mile radius of Dundrum, they can courier your order out too!

xxx

January 8, 2018/by Gem

Makeup

Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation

One of my favourite, more affordable foundations for a long time, before I believe it was discontinued. (Damn them!), was the Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude. It was the one with the white top not the red one. I liked it the best because it wasn’t as thick, but it still gave decent coverage and lasted well on my oily skin. Their newest member of the range is the Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation.

First up, I got this pretty early on, I hadn’t seen much media hype about it. It took me a long time to figure out how to open the bottle. Yes, it took me longer than necessary to realise you have to twist the cap, not pull it. It has a doe foot applicator, not a pump like it’s predecessors. Not my favourite choice of application, but each to their own. You can dispense it onto your hand or a palette and use it that way if you prefer.

According to Rimmel, the Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation: ‘Perfects your skin with light to medium buildable coverage. It is enriched with breathable skin technology and moisturises for up to 25h. Up to SPF 20.’

If you’re familiar with Rimmel foundations, you will be familiar with the scent. The flowery aroma is something to be weary of, it can be quite overwhelming at first, although it does die down as the product settles.

For me, this foundation definitely has a light but buildable coverage. It dries down more matte in finish than I expected it to. I’ve read other reviews and they said it gave a satin finish on their skin. Obviously all of this beauty talk is subjective. On me, it definitely has more of a semi-matte finish. I have the shade 101 Classic Ivory which matches my skin tone pretty well. It’s a little more warmer than my bare skin. I prefer this, as it makes me look less pink 🙂

Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation_2946

Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation_2949

It covers redness and slight imperfections, not so great with deep pores or wrinkles. The wear time on me is pretty good, although if you have more dry skin it’ll be even better. Overall, I rate is as a grand foundation. I don’t really get the breathable aspect of it though? It’s not super heavy on the skin, but you definitely know it’s there. Also, if you have a drier skin type, and are looking for a more radiant finish, this definitely won’t work either. I’ll for sure get wear out of it as a day time foundation. But, I’m not head over heels in love with it.

You can find the Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation available in store from Boots and online here now. And I found it for the cheapest price online from a reputable retailer from Feel Unique here.

Have you tried it?

xxx

November 29, 2017/by Gem

Monthly Favourites, Youtube Video

September Favourites 2017

Yep, we can all panic. It’s September favourites time. How did that even happen?

I am in disbelief that it’s October! The C word is just creeping up on us…..fast!

My September favourites are much like any other month. They are a mixed bag of things that I feel I have been reaching for alot over the past four weeks. This month definitely had a bit of a skincare theme. It’s probably the change in the seasons that has me more conscious, unconsciously 🙂

Of course there is some makeup in there too, that can’t not happen. Makeup stages are my thing. I will wear something religiously for weeks and then completely forget about it. Yes, I am fickle. It doesn’t mean I don’t still love something. It just means my obsession changes focus because I have a short attention span 🙂

My September favourites include:

The Bioderma Micellar Water limited edition pump bottle €16 from Cloud10beauty here.
A couple of products from Shiseido’s new Waso range . I can only find the full range online from Harvey Nichols here. It is a more affordable range from the brand. You can see the synopsis and ingredients of all the products on the Shiseido website here.
Pure Potions Skin Salvation Bath And Body Oil. This range is available in store from Holland and Barrett. I found the oil directly on the brands website here too.
Mac Syrup Lipstick. I did a post on this a little while ago here.
Stila Magnificent Metal in Rose Gold Retro. I used this in my go to rose gold makeup look here.
The Elf Shimmer Highlighting Powder. You can see this swatched here.
And the finally my gold mini Casio watch. John bought me this years ago from Asos. They don’t have it anymore. I found it for the cheapest price in Ireland here from Argos if you want to check it out.

And that’s September summed in product from 🙂 Hope you had a lovely month. You can watch the video where I waffle about the products by clicking above, or click here to watch it directly on YouTube.

Thanks, as always.

Gemma xxx

PR SAMPLES INCLUDED*

October 6, 2017/by Gem

Makeup

Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighters

When I saw the Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighters being advertised on their social media pages, I got very excited.

I have been wanting to try a full on metal liquid highlighter for ages now. Ever since I swatched the Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops when they were first released here in Space NK. At the time, they were all sold out, so I couldn’t even splurge on one. We can get a hold of them now but at around 35 quid, they are pretty pricey.

So I’ve been biding my time waiting to try the Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighters. They were initially just available through the Barry M website. I didn’t splurge there because it’s nearly a tenner just to ship them to Ireland. Now, finally they’re available on the Superdrug website. You can get them in store throughout the UK I believe, but not here, yet anyway. Superdrug do free shipping to Ireland over a tener, which is bloody fantastic!

I picked up two of the five shades available. I chose the ones that I actually thought I would use day to day.

Precious Pearl, which is a more white based liquid. more suited to pale gals like myself. In powder form this would remind me of the Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl by Becca Cosmetics. (Review here).

So white based like Pearl, but this has a pink iridescent shimmer to it.

Chrome At First Sight is light rose gold shade. It blends out to a light golden shade with a hue of pink.

The formula is really light weight and as you would expect from a liquid highlighter, quite runny. They leave a shimmery shine to the skin. Not full on glittery, but there is shimmery flecks running through them. For me, application is best with a duo fiber brush or beauty blender. They do leave a bit of an oily residue on the skin. It dies down somewhat as it sinks in though.

Overall, I think the Barry M offering for the price and accessibility is really good. I don’t think they pack as much punch as their more expensive predecessors. But as a ‘drugstore’ alternative, they’re really nice.

You can get the Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighters now on the Superdrug website here. They are £6.99.

xxx

October 2, 2017/by Gem

Posts

So what do Nars say about this foundation? They say it has:

‘Liquid texture. Luminous finish. Fade resistant for up to 16 hours. Available in 33 shades’.

Have you tried it yet? I would love to know your thoughts on it.

xxx

Overall I really like it and find myself reaching for it a lot since I bought it.

I picked up the Maybelline Super Stay Full Coverage Foundation from Boots for €15.99. I think that’s a bit steep for a more ‘drugstore’ foundation. However I found it online here for €11.99. Have you tried it?

xxx

And the limited edition Starlit Hyper-Glitz Lipstick in ‘Sci-Fly‘.

xxx

Have you tried it?

xxx

Yep, we can all panic. It’s September favourites time. How did that even happen?

My September favourites include:

And that’s September summed in product from 🙂 Hope you had a lovely month. You can watch the video where I waffle about the products by clicking above, or click here to watch it directly on YouTube.

************PR SAMPLES INCLUDED*************

When I saw the Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighters being advertised on their social media pages, I got very excited.

You can get the Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighters now on the Superdrug website here. They are £6.99.

‘Liquid texture.
Luminous finish.
Fade resistant for up to 16 hours.
Available in 33 shades’.

PR SAMPLES INCLUDED*