Top Five Best Foundations for Summer

     Now that summer is here (well, almost) and hot, sticky weather has officially arrived, the battle to find the perfect foundation becomes even more difficult. I have worn foundation since I was fifteen and during the summer months I have always opted for a more light-weight, natural foundation or BB cream. But I know not everyone desires to wear light to medium coverage foundation, no matter the season. So I have compiled my top five best foundations to wear during the humid, sweaty months of summer and I have included a mix of everything, so no matter what your coverage of choice or skin type is, you will be able to find something that will help you feel your best, despite what the temperature is. Every single one of these foundations is a tried and true favorite for me and I am excited to share them with you!
   
     1. It Cosmetics CC Cream

     I'm sure you have heard of this CC Cream already, and if you have not, I'm about to change your life. It is called a CC Cream, but has the texture and coverage of a medium to full coverage foundation without any of the heaviness or cakeyness. It is dewy and illuminating without sacrificing coverage or wear time. It applies to your face like a dream, blends out easily, and smells like oranges. I cannot say enough good things about it. It has spf 50 and anti-aging serum in it. I think that it is perfect for summer because of how light weight it feels on the skin while still achieving a high-coverage look. This is a foundation I reach for when I know I'm going to be out in the sun all day and need something with the spf protection. This is my go to foundation when I am headed to the pool or beach but don't want to be barefaced. It is also one that I reach for when I want something easy and effortless but still want to look glamorous. Although not completely waterproof, it tends to last a good amount of time on my face, even if I am swimming or laying out.
     I find that the CC Cream can be applied with a sponge, a brush, or even your fingers and still come out looking flawless. It is one of  the few foundations I can apply with a brush and still like how it looks. Most foundations tend to look cakey on my skin when applied with a brush.
     The It Cosmetics CC Cream retails for $38 and can be purchased at both Sephora and Ulta. There is also an illuminating version of the CC Cream, but I have not tried that one. I have heard that it is extremely illuminating and has micro glitters throughout it. So that may be worth checking out if you prefer a very glowy look. I highly recommend the It Cosmetics CC Cream for all year round, but especially the hot summer months.

   
      2. Makeup Revolution Fast Base Foundation Stick

     This one is a stick foundation and a very new one on the makeup scene. However, it is quickly becoming one of my favorite foundations and has been a go to for me now that the hot weather is here. It is more medium coverage than full, but can be built up. I love that it is in stick form because it makes it so easy to apply. On days when I am running late for work I can just grab this stick, swipe it on my face, blend it out with a brush and go. Quick and effortless. Most stick foundations I have tried are hard for me to blend out without leaving me with the feeling that the majority of the coverage is still stuck where I swiped the product on initially, but this one does not do that. The formula is silky smooth and blends out easily. Because of that I find that this is an extremely dewy foundation. If you have very oily skin this may not be the best one for you. But the dewiness makes it perfect for summer.. It is light weight on the skin and looks gorgeous on.
     I have heard a lot of people comparing it to the Hourglass Vanish Stick Foundation and saying that it could be a  possible dupe for that famous, $46 one. I don't think it is an exact dupe, the Hourglass one is not as dewy and is more full coverage, but the longevity of both foundations is the same. And considering the Makeup Revolution one is only $9, I think that's pretty fantastic.
     I reach for this foundation most when I am headed to work and know it is going to be a long, hot summer day. I like to use it when I want a dewy, refreshed, natural look or when I am in a hurry but still want to look nice. This is a great, affordable option for a stick foundation and I recommend checking it out. The price for the quality that you are getting can't be beat!

   
     3. L'oreal Infallible Pro-Glow

     The name says it all. This foundation is the one you need if you want maximum glow. It is an absolutely stunning foundation and the formula is to die for. It is perfect for every day wear or a night out. But it is very, very dewy. I recommend this foundation for dry or normal skin. The coverage is light to medium, but leans more toward the light side. This foundation is very liquidy so it applies easily and gives you the most radiant glow. My favorite way to apply it is with a damp beauty sponge, but be careful not to have it too damp because the more moisture added to the foundation the more dewy it becomes. Which is not really a bad thing in my opinion, but could go down hill fast depending on your skin type.
     This foundation retails for $12.99 and can be bought at almost all drugstores as well as Ulta. My favorite times to wear this foundation is on the weekends when I know I will be out and about but am not needing a lot of coverage or a water proof foundation. It gives a very fresh and natural look to my skin and looks truly beautiful.

   
     4. Urban Decay All Nighter
   

     This is a fantastic foundation. But it is not for everyone. This foundation is the most full coverage and long lasting foundation I have come across in my entire life. And working at Sephora has allowed me to try quite a few foundations. When Urban Decay named it All Nighter, they were not kidding. Not only will it last you a good 16-20 hours on your face and still look like it had just been applied, but it is completely water proof. So if diving head first in to a pool with a full face of makeup on is your thing, this is the foundation for you. I say it is not for everyone because it is a very thick formula and can be hard to work with. If you have very dry skin I do not recomend that you purchase it. I have normal skin and find that I have to prep my skin with a moisturizing base before I go in with the All Nighter foundation. My favorite primer to pair with it is the Smashbox Primerizer. If I don't use that or another hydrating primer, than the foundation will start to look very cakey and artificial on my face. But if done right, this foundation is a dream come true. The coverage blows everything else like it out of the water and the finish is a beautiful matte. I have to apply this one with a damp makeup sponge.
     This foundation also oxidized pretty badly once applied. Oxidizing is when the foundation is exposed to air and it deepens the color of the product. So when selecting a shade I recommend going a few shades lighter than normal to account for this.
     This is my go to foundation on special occasions. It is perfect for an event when you need to look your absolute best because it gives the most flawless coverage and will last and look fresh until you decide to take it off. I also reach for this foundation when I need something that will be water proof and sweat proof or on just a regular day when I am feeling extra sassy and want to look it as well. It retails for $40 and can be purchased at Sephora and Ulta.

   
      5. Covergirl Healthy Elixir
   

     Last on the list is of course the Covergirl Healthy Elixir foundation. This foundation falls right in between the Pro-Glow and the CC Cream as far as coverage and luminosity goes. This is a good foundation for all skins types and can be purchased almost anywhere that sells makeup for around $11.99. This is a build-able, medium coverage foundation, and as the name hints, has a very healthy looking finish. I like this foundation for summer because of how natural and healthy it looks on the skin without being overly dewy. It blends out smoothly and gives a good 8 hour wear time. This is a great foundation for beginners who are looking for a reasonably priced, but good quality foundation. Honestly, it is good for just about everyone else as well. I highly recommend this one. This foundation is perfect for me for everyday wear at the office, running errands, or going out to dinner. It is a very multi-purpose foundation that gives you a beautiful, natural look while still covering up imperfections. It is a great one to have in your collection.

     That is my list of top five best foundations to own during the summer. I tried to include a little of everything so no matter your skin type and foundation preferences, you would be able to find the right one for you. I hope this was helpful for you and I'm so glad you took the time to read. Let me know in the comments what your go to foundation is in the summer and whether you agree with my top picks or have one that is even better that I need to try! See you next time!

My Go To Look Using The Natasha Denona Tropic Palette

Review of the New Sol De Janeiro Body Oil

Now that summer has (mostly) arrived, I was looking for the perfect body glow to wear to the pool and on long summer nights spent outside in shorts and a tank top. I was looking for a shimmer or an oil that I could use on my legs as well as shoulders, arms, and décolletage. Something similar to the Fenty body oil, but not as freaking expensive as that one. Happily, my search ended when I found the newly released Sol De Janeiro body oils. Sol De Janeiro is a brand sold at Sephora and they are famous for their Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. If you aren't familiar with that product or have not smelled it, it is one of the best smelling things I have ever come across. It is a body cream that is supposed to help lift and firm your skin, but it mostly just smells amazing. It honestly smells similar to the Butter Paradise Fragrance that Physician's Formula came out with., but even better, if that's possible.
     The new Sol De Janeiro oils are sold for $35 each and come in two shades: Ipanema Sunset, the lighter of the two, and Copacabana Bronze, a deep golden bronze. Naturally, I got Ipanema Sunset and I think it is a perfect shade for my skin tone, even when I am very self tanned. It is a beautiful, reflective champagne color. It blends in very easily to the skin and gives off such a gorgeous sun kissed glow. I like to apply it pretty much all over my body. It gives such a radiant look to any skin I have showing.

Swatches when I first apply the oil

  

Swatches when I first apply the oil

Swatches when I first apply the oil

 Although this product looks absolutely stunning on the skin, my favorite part about it is that it smells just like the bum bum cream. Once you apply the oil your whole body smells like it. However, I have found that the scent only lingers an hour or two, it does not have the lasting power of a perfume. Sol De Janeiro does sell a body mist, which I am dying to try.
     Once applied, the product does remain slightly tacky on the skin. It doesn't transfer on to my clothes and if I hugged someone it wouldn't rub off on them, but you can feel it on your skin. I think that if you applied it and then got into a pool it would completely come off, but I have not tested that yet.

Swatch after the oil has dried for five minutes

     One major draw back of this product is the packaging. It comes in a plastic bottle with a large cap on it. At first I thought that when I removed the cap I would find a pump underneath. But when I took it off I realized that there was just a small white screw on cap underneath that and in order to get the product out you must pour it. This proves to be pretty messy and I don't like that I can't control how much of the oil I am pouring out at once. I have found the best way to apply it is to pour a little out on my hand (a little goes a very long way) and then either apply it with my hands or a brush. Both ways work well and the product blends in nicely no matter how you apply it.

     Overall this product is very good. I love the color that I got and am interested to try the darker one for when I am extremely self tanned. It smells absolutely amazing, although the scent doesn't last as long as I wish it did. Ultimately it gives me the summer glow I was looking for and I am very happy with it. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be reaching for it all summer long.

First Impressions and Swatches of Colourpop's 4th Birthday Collection

My purchases from Colourpop's 4th birthday collection

Happy Friday everyone! We made it to the end of the week! Even though it was a short one it felt like it was dragging on forever. Yesterday was very exciting for me though because I knew that my Colourpop order was due to be delivered that afternoon. All day at work I was checking the tracking and looking forward to getting my hands into the new releases I had ordered from Colourpop's website. May is their birthday month, it is their fourth birthday this year, so they went ham on releasing new products. I ordered some of the goodies and I'm so excited to share them.

Fame palette

   They released two new palettes "Fame" and "Fortune", Fame being their first ever neutral cool toned palette, and Fortune is a classic Colourpop warm palette with some gorgeous pops of berry and gold. Both palettes are larger than their traditional twelve pan palettes, having a total of sixteen shades in them. The outer packaging is carnival themed and when you place the two palettes side by side they complete a picture of a carnival tent. It's very adorable and I couldn't resist buying both of them. They can be purchased on Colourpop's website in a set for $42 or purchased individually for $22 each. When the Fame palette was first announced a lot of people were disappointed by the pictures. A lot of the colors in the palette look similar and the palette had an overall look of just being kind of...boring. I was convinced that I was not going to buy it at first. Then I watched a swatch video on Colourpop's YouTube channel. I have used most of the palettes Colourpop has come out with and I have noticed that a lot of the times the colors look completely different in the pans than how they translate in swatches and on the eyes. I'm not sure what causes them to do this, but after watching that video I realized that this was very much the case with the Fame palette. The swatches are absolutely gorgeous and the majority of the colors are not similar at all. There are a few colors that I wish they had replaced with others, but overall I was very impressed with the color selection. It is a cool toned palette, which I find very refreshing and exciting compared to all the overly warm palettes that have monopolized the market for the past year and a half. So I decided to buy it. I have only swatched it and worn it on my eyes once so far, but I am not disappointed with my decision at all. I am rather obsessed with the palette. It performed beautifully on the eyes when I applied it this morning, blending out superbly but not looking muddy at all. Although others may find it boring, I truly do like the color scheme of the palette because it is something I can wear to work every day. So far I have been very impressed with this palette.

  

 

 

 Now on to the Fortune palette. I have only swatched this palette, I have not used it on my eyes yet. Although it is another warm toned palette, the colors are very beautiful and slightly different from other palettes they have done in the past. The swatches of this palette were absolutely stunning and perfect for summer. I can't wait to experiment with this palette and create some gorgeous looks.

Both of these palettes are consistent with the Colourpop shadow formula. They are buttery, creamy, soft, bendable, and pigmented, yet easy to work with. They do have quite a bit of kick up when you are dipping your brush into the pan but the fall out is not too terrible when applying them to the eyes. I would recommend that you do your face makeup after your eye makeup when using these shadows or at least put a layer of powder down to catch the fall out so you can just brush it away when you are finished. I highly recommend any and all of the Colourpop palettes, especially for beginners in makeup or people who are looking to grow their collection, because they are easy to use and inexpensive.

  

  In edition to the palettes I picked up three of their brand new ultra glossy lip formula: the Hi-Shine ultra glossy lips. These new glosses feature a brand new brush applicator that is meant to hold more product in it in order to pack the gloss on to the lips when applying. They are also infused with jojoba oil to moisturize the lips and make them one of the most comfortable lip gloss formulas ever. They are not sticky what-so-ever, they feel more like a lip oil, and they extremely shiny. They look absolutely stunning and healthy on the lips. Some of the colors in the line have ultra fine shimmers in them and some are just a creamy gloss. I ordered three out of the line: Champagne Mami, Feedback, and Pony Up. They are just so gorgeous, they are quickly becoming one of my favorite lip gloss formulas.  

Hi-shine lip glosses from left to right:
Pony Up, Feedback, Champagne Mami

     The last thing I picked up was three of their lux lipsticks. The original cream formula was realesed a while ago, and not part of the birthday collection. For their birthday month they released a new matte formula for the lipsticks as well. I picked up one of the matte ones: Paparazzi and two of the original formula: Lay Over and Still Crazy. I have only swatched the lipsticks and cannot speak to how they perform on the lips yet. The swatches were very creamy, extremely pigmented and the formula simply glided on to my hand. Even the matte one seemed soft and creamy compared to other matte lipstick formulas I have tried in the past. I can't wait to test these out!
   

Lux lipsticks from left to right:
Still Crazy, Layover, Paparazzi

That is everything I purchased from Colourpop's fourth birthday collection. I am hoping to film a follow up for my YouTube channel giving my final thoughts on my purchases and maybe a tutorial using the products. If you would be interested in seeing that be sure to leave me a comment letting me know and make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel: Kathleen Rose so you don't miss it! Thanks for spending time with me today and have a great weekend!