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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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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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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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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I Picked Up The Most Amazing Product

I'm so excited about this random find guys!

I've been looking all over for the Bourjois BB Bronzing Cream (cause if you didn't know, it's really something) and finally found it yesterday. My only problem was it was a little out of my price range, so I spotted this which looked kinda similar, and said I'd give it a whirl.

 This is the Seventeen Tan Liquid Glow (There's a big WOW! there too but I'm not sure where it goes) This is such a nice make-up surprise-I love it! 

It gives an amazing luminous glow and a gorgeous tan effect. I've been mixing it with my Bourjois Healthy Mix and I love the way it looks. Now that I have this I can't imagine doing my makeup without it-I am in lurve. You can find this for €7.50 at Boots and I really hope you all like it!

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My Tips For Applying Makeup To Oily Skin

If you're prone to oily skin, have no fear! I have a few tips that'll let your skin know you're the boss, once and for all.

PRIME YOUR SKIN FIRST 

A good primer is really important for oily skin. Even if you don't want to use primer on your whole face, try and use a little on the oiliest areas.

MILK OF MAGNESIA 

Milk of magnesia is amazing in treating oily skin. You can apply this, let it dry, and then use your foundation and it will make your skin look amazing! It cancels out oiliness and it's in every pharmacy ever!

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Make-Up Products For Beginners ✿

New video tiiiime!! Hehe! :) I thought it'd be fun to do a quick video on the best make-up products for beginners-let me know what you think!

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Check Out My Fake Beauty Blender..Hehe!

Hey there peoples! Something arrived for me in the post today which I completely forgot about-I got a fake beauty blender! Are they capital letters for beauty blender? Who knows hehe! It took aages to get here but it's finally arrived and I love it! No offense to the beauty blender peeps but they're just a little pricey for my liking. I got the replica online (they're pretty much all the same) and I swear it blends my make-up so nicely! 

This is what it looks like, it's so pretty and soft and I can't believe I waited so long to get one! I wish I could tell you guys where I got this but I really don't remember :( I don't know if this is a dupe for the beauty blender but I'm really thrilled with it! If you're in the market for an affordable make-up applicator that will leave your skin looking lovely, go search for one of these guys online!

Thanks for reading! 

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A Better Blush Than NARS Orgasm? What Could It Be?!

Hi there everybody! I didn't realise people liked product reviews so much! Should I do more posts on them?? I have loads so I think I just might!

                                                 

NARS if famous for being just really good make-up, but these guys can be pretty pricey! The "Orgasm" blush, holds a kind of celebrity status in the beauty universe for being amazing. Sadly, I just don't see this. Don't get me wrong, the colour is gorg, it just wasn't that flattering on my skin tone! I know everyone's different, but this seemed to really showcase my pores, so for the price I wasn't happy.

I did some research and found a little gem. I'm not gonna call it a dupe,(like so many people do) because it is quite different, but there's an even better product you can get for a fraction of the price!

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

via

For those of you who don't know, Milani baked blushes are so super pretty! Tell you a secret? I REALLY prefer this to nearly ever other blush I've used! It has a gorgeous shimmer and blends so nicely into skin. It is quite pigmented so you only need to apply it lightly, but the result is gorgeous. Believe the hype, it lasted all day the first time I wore it and I've been using it every day since. 

Was this guide helpful? I'd really love if you could let me know! Or maybe you'd like to recommend a blush to me!

Thanks for reading! 

Soph :) 

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How To Pluck Your Brows Minus The Pain!

For those of us who wince at the thought of plucking our brows, there's a tip that can make life so much easier! I used to use an ice cube to numb the brow before plucking, but I didn't find this helped all that much. What to use instead?

A normal old facecloth! 

(You might know these as washcloths if you live in America :) )

All you have to do is warm up the cloth by holding it under warm water for a few seconds. Wring it dry and then hold it to your eyebrow for about 2 minutes. The heat is going to help your pores to open up, which is going to make it so much easier to pluck those stray brow hairs! 

If you have no facecloth lying around, you could pluck them right after a shower, for more or less the same effect! 

Did this help? I'd love to hear from you! 

Soph :) 

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Ben Nye Banana Powder Dupe

Hello everyone! I haven't been blogging as much as usual the past few months so lets turn that around with a dupe post that I forgot to publish. This is a dupe for one of the most famous beauty products ever: Ben Nye Banana Powder! Banana Powder is famous worldwide for just being brilliant. It's a really unique product that will leave you looking flawless while cancelling out redness. It's a tad expensive however, so I've found a dupe!

And that dupe would just so happen to be..

via

That's right! It's the E.L.F Mineral Booster in Corrective Yellow!
I absolutely love this product and was so impressed with it. It will even out your skin tone, and a give a subtle shimmer which will make you glow so prettily! It's amazing for oily and problem skin and it'll help to cover dark circles and shadows.

 There's lots of different shades available and the shade Shimmer is GORG, but this is closer to the Banana Powder colour. Definitely recommend this to anyone looking for amazing powder on the cheap!

Was this review helpful to you? Let me know and I'll definitely do more dupe reviews soon!

Happy powder shopping!

Soph :)

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Applying Fake Lashes For The Terrified!

We all know how annoying fake lashes can be. Sometimes they go on perfectly, without any trouble, but sometimes they're our worst enemy! I drew a little guide on how to apply them, so hopefully you wont have to panic before putting them on.

And enjoy! Hope this helped a little guys! I promise they're not as bad as they might seem and they're not really annoying to wear either!

Have fun!

Soph :)

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