Avon Ideal Flawless Foundation

Hello everyone! I've been having a little trouble with my new blog design, so I haven't been able to post much, but hopefully i'll sort everything out soon enough. 

Today I'm reviewing a lovely little find from one of the most underrated (in my opinion) makeup brands out there. I have trouble finding foundations that I really really like. High end or drugstore, I can never seem to find any that I absolutely love. I've been looking for one that gives good coverage without being too heavy, but still provides a dewy/silk finish.
Why I love it:
 Avon Ideal Flawless does all that, and I just love it. The coverage is light-medium and it evens out my skin tone, hides imperfections and has the nicest finish too. It comes in lots of lovely shades and I love using a darker shade at the sides of my face if I'm going out. I've found the best way to apply this is with my Beauty Blender but it's gorgeous when applied with a buffing brush too.  It's around 9 euro which I think is a great price. I'll definitely be trying out more of their foundations and I have a feeling there'll be more hidden gems with this brand! 

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My Top 5 Foundations-High End

Happy Tuesday everyone!! I hope you've all had an amazing weekend!

We all know a good foundation is a must have, but there are so many to choose from-it can be so daunting! You'd think people would be more interested in Pharmacy foundations but most of the time, people tell me they want to splurge on a fancy foundation. I've picked a few high end options that I love and that I think you guys will really like too. I'm fussy when it comes to foundation, so I'm certain you'll like at least one of them hehe! I'll start from... I wont say worst to last 'cause they're all amazing but you get the idea! I'm doing a top 5 pharmacy foundations after this too so stay tuned for that!

At number 5 it's:

Mac Face And Body Foundation

This is a liquid foundation that seems to be a staple in every makeup artist's kit. I've never used anything like it before! It's sheer but still has the most impressive coverage, and leaves skin looking flawless with a dewy finish. People with oily skin might not like this as much as those with dry skin, but it's a favourite of mine and a cult classic for a reason.


4.NARS Sheer Glow 

Oo, I love me some NARS foundation! It gives amazing coverage and a flawless look without that caked on effect. This is probably one of the most widely known foundations out there and I can see why-it's fantastic. This seems like it was made to be applied with a stippling brush, and it's quickly become one of the best foundations I've used. If I had to compare it to any pharmacy foundation it would definitely be Bourjois Healthy Mix.

3. Dior Airflash 

I'm telling you guys, this is incredible. Shame about the price though! If you want look airbrushed without an airbrush, this make-up is your new best friend. The best way to apply this is to spray it on the brush or whatever you're using to apply your makeup, and then buff it into the skin.


2. Estee Lauder Double Wear 

I love Double Wear. I can't exactly explain the finish, I wouldn't exactly call it a matte finish like it's considered to be, but I wouldn't call it full coverage either. All I know is that it's lovely and covers imperfections to leave your skin looking flawless, and lasts all night too.

*DRUM ROLL* So here we have it-my most favourite high end foundation ever!! And it's called:


Make Up Forever HD Foundation

Makeup Forever HD-what can I say about this foundation? It really is the best I've used. It's so light when applied but gives the most flawless finish and an incredible airbrushed complexion. It can be built up to give a more full coverage look and is perfect for days when you know you'll need to be doing a lot of posing in front of the camera (hint hint, brides!) It lasts all day too which makes it an amazing choice for special events. 

Hope this helped a little for those of you who want to go high end foundation shopping! 

Have fun everyone!

Soph :)

You May Also Like: Ben Nye Banana Powder Dupe 

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My Top 5 Foundations-Pharmacy

*Wipes brow* This was a really difficult list to put together. I already did a post on my fave high end foundations (which you can look at right here if you're interested!) so I thought I'd do a post on my fave pharmacy foundations too. You might be surprised by some of the foundations on this list because it just so happens that there's not many out there that really suit my skin (sadface). Hopefully though, I've narrowed it down to the cream of the crop.

5. L'Oreal True Match Lumi

I was going to go with the original True Match, but I've been using True Match Lumi more lately and I love it. It's similar to the original True Match of course, so it has the same lovely medium-full buildable coverage, while still looking natural. The main difference with this foundation is that it gives the nicest luminous, dewy glow to the skin, and I'm a self confessed dewy skin addict. 

4. Maybelline Fit Me 

This is such a nice light foundation that seems to have taken the world by storm recently. It has light-medium coverage and the finish is just flawless! The finish is slightly different to any foundation I've used before, but I still love it. Its cousin the Fit Me concealer has become something of a legend in blogger world too-and with good reason!



3. L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte 

This is a really nice foundation that honestly does last quite a long time. This has been making its rounds on the internet for a while now-beauty bloggers have been exploding over it! It's suited more to oily skin because it's fairly matte, so I don't think I'd recommend it to people with really dry skin. It has medium to full coverage, and still allows natural skin to shine through. It doesn't look too cakey, and so far I'm really impressed with it.

2. Avon Ideal Flawless

I. love. this. foundation. I can't get over the quality for the price, and I use it every single day. It has great coverage while not being cakey at all. It hides imperfections and balances my skin tone, while being moisturising too. It has a dewy/silk finish which I love, and the packaging is super pretty too. This is such a gem for me and one of my holy grail foundations, without a doubt. 

1. Bourjois Healthy Mix 

This is by far one of the best foundations I've ever used. I love everything about it. It's medium to full coverage without being cakey and gives such a beautiful healthy glow to the skin-what more could you want? It's similar to Rimmel Wake Me Up in the way that it sort of lifts and gives it a boost. It's not the cheapest foundation in the pharmacy but when it's good as it is, you really can't complain. 

Foundations that didn't quite make the cut: Revlon Nearly Naked, Revlon Colorstay, Rimmel Match Perfection, Covergirl Outlast

I think I'm gonna get some sleep now and I'll probably dream about foundation haha! Happy shopping and have an amazing week! Soph :)

You May Also Like: Ben Nye Banana powder Dupe 

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Simple Illuminating Radiance Cream

If you're like me and you like your skin to look dewy, fresh and luminous, I have a feeling you'll like this product. I love Simple skincare and I've been using this for a while now-I just haven't gotten around to blogging about it yet!

What is it?

Simple Illuminating Radiance cream is a really lovely product. I looove to mix this in with my foundation, but it's really nice on its own too. It makes for a perfect primer and it's filled with lots of things that are good for your skin.

Why I love it:

 I have super sensitive skin too and this hasn't made me breakout at all. It's absolutely perfect for days when you don't feel like wearing too much foundation. Just mix a little foundation with the cream and you'll have a gorgeous complexion with a little coverage too.

This is definitely a staple in my makeup bag, especially now that it's leading into summer. Let me know if you try it and what you think :)

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Rose Hip Oil-Simply Incredible

What is Rose Hip Oil??

Rose hip oil is a pressed seed oil made from, as the name suggests, rose hips. I don't know if you guys have heard, but rose hip oil is fantastic.

Why I love it? 

 To cut a long story short,  I've always had weird blemishes on my legs, and after trying everything I could think of to get rid of them, this has been the only thing that's worked. This is amazing for dehydrated or ageing skin too. You can get it in any chemist and it worked wonders for me. It's usually pretty cheap and it works for so many different skin problems.

I swear it's made so much difference to my skin and I'm not going to go blabbing on about it too much, but if you have any scarring, dark spots or redness, I really think this could be a solution for you. It smells lovely and makes for the most relaxing fragrance when heated. 

If you have skin problems and find this worked for you-I'd love to hear all about it! ♡♥

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The Mascara That Will Never Let You Down

I did a post recently about a mascara I have been loving, but I decided that one of my all time favourites needs some recognition too. I've been using Thick and Fast by Soap And Glory for a while now, but I always come back to this.

Why I love it: 

This is L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black and it's amazing. It's brilliant for adding tons of volume, length and it lasts ages too. To be honest it does exactly what it says on the tin. I love the wand, and it hasn't made my eyes water once! It applies evenly and elongates lashes without making them look too clumpy. It doesn't dry out for ages either and you can build it up from a subtle day look to full on night look too. If I had to compare it to any high end mascara, I find it's almost an exact double for Diorshow. I have them both and I actually prefer this one a little more! 

It's easy to find and seems to be on offer quite a lot-I really recommend everyone tries it!

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Better Than Fake Lashes-Model Co Fibre Lash

I love the way fake lashes make my eyes look, but I try not to wear them too much. I just can't deal with all the fuss. My sister got me the most amazing mascara though, and I  have a feeling I won't need to wear fakies for a long time! This is the Model Co Fibre Lash mascara and I think it's fantastic.The packaging is so pretty and professional looking, and I was sooo excited to try this out. 

How do you use it?

The instructions said to use the lash extending mascara first, and then brush the lash fibres carefully over the mascara. I find it best to leave the fibres set for about 20 seconds, and then apply another layer of mascara. The result is longer, thicker, clump-free lashes that last aaages!

I'm so so impressed with this product, especially since my eyes are irritated easily, and this hasn't hurt them at all.

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NYX Butter Gloss

I love love LOVE NYX! It's such reasonably priced makeup and I can't get over the quality.

Why I love the butter glosses:

I'm sure you've all heard of them by now,  but if you haven't, all you need to know is they're creamy,  so nicely pigmented, and they dress up any makeup look in seconds. They're so true to the colour when applied, and if you have very pigmented lips like I do, you'll be so surprised at how well the colour shows up! They're perfect if you have dry lips like me (I can't wear matte lipstick most of the time-boo!)

These will run you about 6 euro but they're worth every penny considering there are some lip glosses I've gotten in the chemist that are twice the price and not half as good.

Perfect for a night out, once you buy one you'll want to try them all.

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Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange ♡

OAs if the name wasn't cool enough, this body set is absolutely lovely. I wasn't sure if I'd like these products so I was kind of slow to make a purchase, but there were so many good reviews that I decided to go for it.

I'm going to focus on the body butter today because it's my favourite out of the three. First of all, these products are sooo good for your skin. The body butter has anti-oxidant rich ingredients, while being moisturising and anti-aging. Also-it smells incredible! It leaves your skin feeling so soft and it looks really nice mixed with a little fake tan too.

The other products are a little perfume and a body wash, which as expected are lovely too. The perfume would be perfect for anyone who likes beachy tropical perfumes, without it being too sweet. The body wash has the same scent as the body butter, and it'll literally make your shower smell like a tropical rainforest-these things smell THAT nice! This is moisturising and anti-aging too. What more could you want from a body set?!

I got mine on Amazon and I'm so happy with it. If you're a fan of tropical scented genius body products, you will be too.

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NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil In Milk

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Sleek Primer Palette-I'm So Disappointed With You!

You all know I love reasonable makeup that's also amazing quality. That's Sleek Makeup through and through. I'm so surprised by my latest Sleek purchase though-I really thought this primer palette would be a thing of beauty. I have so many Sleek eye shadow palettes and they're all SO good! They're incredibly pigmented, blendable, they last aaages and they're under 10 euro too. Let's not forget the contour palette which is one of my holy grail beauty items, and each and every one of their blushes are so fab. 

I'm disappointed with this primer palette though. The colours look so pretty, and they're supposed to provide an amazing base for your eye shadow but uhh,..they're definitely not primers! Some of the colours are nice when you use them as cream eye shadows on their own,but most of them crease like it's nobody's business and the highly pigmented ones aren't colours I'd really use to be honest. When I try to blend my eye shadow into it, it just looks really strange and they don't merge well together at all. I use the lighter colours in the palette on a day when I feel too lazy to put any effort into my eye shadow, but apart from that, it's basically untouched.  Has anyone else tried it and actually liked it? Haha! Let me know! 

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My Fab Mascara Find!

Whenever I'm looking for a new mascara, I look for three words; 'big', 'volume' and 'fake'. Lol. If the mascara has one of these words on the cover, I usually go for this, and I'm very rarely disappointed. 
I'm a big fan of the Collection range, and I said I'd give this mascara a go today. The Big Fake Curves mascara is definitely a new favourite of mine. It's just over a fiver, and I can't get over how good it is. I have fairly short lashes from years of overusing eyelashes and mascara (cry) but this does what it says on the tin-it really looks like I'm wearing fake lashes! 
 I'm wearing two coats of the mascara in the pic (excuse the crazy flash). As you can see, it really is brill and at just over a fiver it wont break the bank. The wand is a little different but I think it's perdy cool, and with the results it gives, I'm not complaining. 

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My new favourite foundation!

For those of you who don't know, I love me some full coverage foundations. I admit I don't wear foundation that often but when I do, I like to make sure all my imperfections are taken care of. Seventeen is such a fab make up brand and they're so affordable too! I got the contour kit along with the Stay Time foundation, and I love them both.The foundation really blew me away though, because for 8 euro, it's one of the best I've ever used, including high end products.  Why I love it:
The coverage is amazing, (it's full coverage, so if you prefer a lighter base you might not like this!) it blends so nicely into the skin and looks amazing with bronzer and products like inglot sparkling dust over it. The finish is not too dewy but not too matte either-just perfect! A little goes a long way too, so I feel like I'll get a lot of use out of it before I need to repurchase! I've also mixed it with loads of foundations, and I think it's gorgeous mixed with Maybelline Fit Me-another fave of mine!  Have you tried it? Let me know! 

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Wet N Wild Lipsticks-I Love!

I'm not gonna bore you all with too many details but just know that these lipsticks are most definitely MAC dupes. I know that's not the most important feature when it comes to makeup, but to me MAC lipsticks are the best of the best.

Why I love them:

Here in Ireland there's a choice of matte and mega-shine Wet N Wild lipsticks, and they're both absolutely gorgeous, inexpensive (people seem to have an issue with the word cheap) highly pigmented, and they look beautiful on. I can't say enough good things about them. 

Definitely try them girls-you won't be disappointed!

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Looking For A Cheap Concealer Fix? I've Got You Covered!

Concealer is the most definitely the product I run out of the most. I have such a love hate relationship with it! I love it because I have a habit of waking up with ridiculously tired eyes, and it's my best friend when I accidentally use too much foundation. If you're all out of your most favourite holy grail concealer and need a quick fix, here's what I recommend.  This is the Essence Stay Natural Concealer that'll set you back about 3.50. It's said (on the concealer itself) that it "naturally covers imperfections and reduces dark circles. with vitamin a for the craic." Well I added the craic part myself but it does a very good job of covering my dark circles and it acts as a dang fine highlighter too! My shade is 01 'cause y'all know I love a bright under eye, but if you'd prefer it to match your skin tone then just go crazy with the testers!  Have a stupendous day! 

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Half Cut Crease

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A La La Looovely Body Butter!

So I know it's kiiiiinda been ages since I've given the blog my full attention but let's put a stop to all that and talk about one of the nicest body butters of our generation. This is the Champeneys Distant Shores body butter and it smells and feels divine. My sis actually left this behind her and of course I had to try it out, but I'm so excited to get some for myself! 
It just looks so pretty doesn't it? You just know it's gonna be stupendous. This is the passion fruit and mango scented body butter but they have loads to choose from, and if I could guess I'd say they're all pretty spectacular. You can find these lovely stuffs at Boots! 

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I Painted One Nail Sparkly!

Hehe, what a random post title.

I decided to do my nails for once and I got a little carried away! I bought the fake nails in Penneys and then painted two nails in a sparkly dark blue colour-I love the way they turned out! If I ever decide to wear fake nails again, I'll definitely jazz them up.

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Today's Random Make-up Look

I used my Sleek Vintage Romance palette for this look (I'm obsessed with Sleek makeup!) I can't wait to get more of their stuff! Foundation is MAC Face And Body and a touch of Inglot Sparkling Dust too!

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I stocked up on my favourite foundation!

Yaaay! I'm in Dublin! I haven't been  shopping properly yet but I did get one of the nicest foundations ever!

*Drum Roll...* MAC Face And Body is in my top 5 foundations. I just love it. It's a little pricy at €31.50 but it lasts ages and I love everything about it. Let me just say quickly if you want a full coverage foundation I don't think this is for you. 

The formula is so unique-it has really nice coverage but it's still quite sheer so you don't have to worry about looking cakey. If I could compare the texture to another foundation it'd be the L'Oreal lumi magique liquid-which I'm also obsessed with! As the name suggests you can use it on your body too for flawless skin-so cool if you ask me!

Definitely try this one out girls-you'll love it.

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