Would you like to try Myface Mymix foundation?

If you read my last post on myface mymix foundation, you may have seen me mention that I was sent three different colours to try. Two of the shades are far too dark for me, so I thought I'd give them away to someone who'd like to try the base.

If you'd like to try mymix, please leave a comment below telling me which shade would be the best match for you. There are two to choose from, 02 Medium and 03 Med/Dark (swatches below). Please make sure you leave your e-mail address too, so I can contact you for a postal address. 

Two winners will be chosen a week from now (one for each shade) using random.org

Myface Mymix Foundation

I was recently sent some myface product samples to try and some tubes of the brand's foundation were included, so I've been testing it out over the last couple of days and thought I'd share my initial thoughts on it. 

Myface mymix Foundation

 For those of you who aren't familiar with the range, here's a little bit about the brand:

myface is comprised of three complete colour ranges delineated by skin tone - one for fair skin, one for medium skin and a third for med/dark skin. Within each range are the ideal colours of foundations, concealers, powder, blushers, lipsticks and lip glosses for that skin tone. The range also features an eye collection designed for all skin tones which includes mascara, eye pencils, eyetouch trios and the revolutionary crushed pearl blingtone singles - which create show-stopping icy, iconic eyes. In October of 2008, myface.cosmetics debuted exclusively at Boots stores in the UK and Ireland.

The brand only offer one type of foundation (mymix) which is a liquid base and is available in nine different shades (three in each skin category). I fall into the fair skin category, and Fair 01 (the lightest of all shades) is a pretty good match for my nc15/nc20 skin tone.

myface mymix foundation: 01 Fair

The product is packaged in a simple, clean looking tube, which is hygienic, handbag friendly and makes dispensing the right amount of product an easy task. The liquid is fairly runny in consistency, especially compared to my usual Clarins Everlasting foundation and has a subtle, fresh scent which disappears fairly quickly after it's been applied. It's incredibly easy to apply (I use fingers) and blends in really well with absolutely no streaking.

There's no indication of the level of coverage mymix offers on the brand site, and for some reason I was expecting the base to be sheer, but it's actually more medium coverage. I have quite a lot of break out issues going on at the moment and mymix actually does a really good job at covering them. I still need a dab of concealer on real problem areas, but the base evens out skin tone nicely and conceals minor redness and blemishes without looking or feeling heavy.

myface mymix foundation: 01 Fair

myface mymix swatch: 01 Fair. Left: Blended

I'd describe the finish as semi matte and I'd also describe mymix as a fairly long lasting foundation too. The base lasts a good 4-5 hours on my oily skin (topped with Nars loose powder) before my face needs blotting, and when I've touched up, my foundation looks as good as new again. I've had no issues with the base settling into pores or fine lines, and no nasty surprises with oxidation either.

Here are some swatches of 01 Fair and the other two shades I was sent, on my nc20 (ish) arm.  Each of the shades are from different skin tone ranges. Fair 01 is the lightest shade from the fair range, medium 02 is the second lightest shade from the medium range, and the darkest of the three is the darkest shade from the medium/dark range. Myface offer a fairly good range of colours, which cater for a quite a wide range of skin tones, but those with very fair, or very dark skin may have trouble finding a shade match.

myface mymix foundations: Fair 01, Medium 02 & Medium/Dark 03

mymix swatches: Fair 01, Medium 02 & Medium/Dark 03

Overall, first impressions of mymix are good. It's easy to apply, blends nicely and best of all, it covers well without looking heavy or caked on. My current bottle of Everlasting is coming to an end at the moment, so I think I'll continue to use this for now and see how it goes before re-purchasing the Clarins.

£12.99 from Boots & myfacecosmetics.co.uk where you can currently get 20% off of you order and free shipping.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine: 62 Monte Carlo

I've wanted a red lipstick for a while now and quite a few different colours from various different brands have caught my eye. The thing is, I've never actually owned or worn a red lip colour before, so I wanted something sheer and easy to wear. After searching around online and browsing through swatches, Chanel's Monte Carlo caught my eye.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine: Monte Carlo

Rouge Coco Shine: 62 Monte Carlo

I'd describe Monte Carlo as a sheer, strawberry red with really subtle shimmer. The shade's actually more pigmented than I was expecting, but is still delicate, understated and perfect for those, who like me, normally shy away from red lip colours.

Chanel Monte Carlo

Chanel Coco Shine: Monte Carlo

I only recently started discovering Chanel's products again, so I'd not actually tried any of the shades from their Coco Shine range. The lipsticks are described as hydrating lipshines with a water-light texture and I have to say, they feel absolutely beautiful. The colour glides effortlessly over lips and feels incredibly light weight. The texture is balm-like, feels almost cooling as it's applied and has a kind of soft, cushiony feel, which makes the formula really comfortable to wear.

Chanel Monte Carlo Swatch

 The tiny microshimmers which look quite obvious in the above photos aren't really prominent on lips apart from in direct sunlight, and they're still quite subtle.

Monte Carlo applied

  
The finish is pretty glossy and because of this, I don't find the formula to be particularly long lasting. I get around two to three hours wear before the colour starts to fade and the glossiness disappears. I am left with a very delicate stain, though and my lips do feel soft, smooth and hydrated, which is a bonus.

Overall, I'm really impressed with Monte Carlo and with the Rouge Coco Shine formula. The pretty, juicy strawberry colour is a beautiful shade and I'm in love with the balmy texture and glossy finish. 

I purchased Monte Carlo from Garden Pharmacy (£23.00) who are currently offering free postage and double points on all purchases.

Blemish Busting Face Washes & Exfoliators

Last week I wrote a little post about the problems I'm having with my skin at the moment and shared some the face masks I'm currently using to combat blemishes. I thought I'd write a similar post this week on a few of the washes I'm currently using, which are helping in my fight against spots, too.

First up is Avene's Cleanance gel. I discovered this fairly recently through another beauty blogger who has similar skin to my own and I really do love the stuff. It's a soapless gel cleanser which is aimed at oily skin types and it promises to purify, reduce excess oil and leave skin soothed and refreshed. A lot of washes which are aimed at oily and acne prone skins seem to be quite harsh and drying. but Cleanance feels incredibly gentle. My face feels really clean after washing with the cleanser, but doesn't feel dry, tight or uncomfortable. I've definitely noticed an improvement in the amount of oil my skin produces since I started using it, which in turn has helped with blocked pores and spots. It's reasonably priced too at £8.75 for a 200ml bottle (Boots).

Dermalogica Special Cleansing gel is another soapless cleanser. I received quite a generous sample size of it with a recent order and my skin really seems to like it. Like Cleanace, it's aimed at oily/acne prone skin and it promises to thoroughly clean without upsetting the skin's natural moisture balance. This one doesn't feel quite as gentle as the Avene, but it's certainly not harsh or drying and it does a fantastic job at cleaning and removing any last traces of make up. I've only been using it for the past week or so, so I can't really comment on it's spot fighting abilities yet, but I have noticed that my skin looks calmer, less red and feels smooth and clean. It costs around £18.00 for 250ml bottle.

REN Mayblossom Balancing cleansing gel is described as a balancing, antibacterial facial cleansing gel for skin that is prone to oiliness and breakouts, particularly in the T-zone. It's definitely the most gentle out of the three cleansers I'm using and the most pleasant to use, as it smells lovely. I've been using it on and off for the past couple of months and I really have noticed an improvement, particularly in problem areas where I have issues with blocked pores. It does a great job at cleaning and my skin feels really hydrated and fresh after washing with it. It's also helping to reduce the redness in a few really angry looking spots I'm battling with at the moment. It costs £19.00 for a 150ml bottle (Beauty Expert).

Peter Thomas Roth Botanical Buffing Beads. I first tried these a couple of years ago after purchasing the acne clearing gel from the range, and I've used them ever since.  The scrub contains ultra-fine jojoba beads, which do a fantastic job at exfoliating without irritating. The jojoba beads partially dissolve as they come in contact with wet skin, so they don't scratch or damage as you're scrubbing. I use them twice a week at the moment and my skin feels really smooth and soft after, but doesn't look red or angry. Any treatments I use after the Buffing Beads seem to sink in more quickly and my skin generally seems to be in much better condition when I'm using them. The product is quite expensive at £27.00 a bottle, but providing it's used sparingly, it lasts forever.

Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub. I received a generous sample size of this recently too and have really been enjoying it. It's described as a skin-polishing scrub exfoliant with natural grains that leaves the skin with a smooth, healthy finish. It contains Corn Cob Meal, Botanical extracts of Mallow, Ivy and Aloe Vera and extracts of Arnica and Cucumber. It's not as gentle as the Botanical Buffing Beads, but the smaller grains/scrubby bits allow me to get in to all the nooks and crannys and really give my face a good clean. It is a tiny bit drying, but does an excellent job at getting rid of impurities and oil and I really feel as though it's helping with clogged pores. It costs around £18.00 for 75ml tube and I'll definitely be buying a full size bottle when my samples run out.

What are your favourite Blemish Busting Face Washes & Exfoliators?

August GlossyBox - Wash & Glow!

I received my first GlossyBox last month and was really pleased with the lovely products I got. There were a couple of duds which I wasn't particularly keen on (Powdered metal & the blue polish), but the rest of the items were great and I've really enjoyed using them over the last few weeks. After getting such nice goodies in last months box, I wasn't expecting much from August's, so I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it and found another selection of great products.

GlossyBox

Here's the contents of August's box....

August GlossyBox contents

A full size KMS hairstay style boost

A 30ml tube of Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser

 

A 40ml tube of AHAVA Deadsea Water Mineral Body Lotion

A full size Daniel Sandler Jumbo Jet Mascara

Rebel Nails Nail Sensations

I received my box yesterday, so I haven't had chance to try everything yet. I have tested the mascara which I'm pretty impressed with and I've also sampled the body lotion which smells lovely. The Murad cleanser came at the right time because my skin's decided to erupt recently, so I'm looking forward to trying that, and I'm also looking forward to giving the Hairstay a go. The only item I don't think I'll be using from this month's box, is the Rebel Nails nail wraps, but everything else seems to be great.

The price of GlossyBox is due to increase to £12.95 next month, and I'm happy to pay the extra as long as the company are consistent with the contents each month.

Have you had your GlossyBox yet? What did you get? 

The Make Up Mavens Weekly Round-up

Makeup Mavens present makeup you may have missed. This week we've got you covered - from your base, eyes, lips to your nails and with a little bit of luck you may even win a giftcard to spend on beauty products in a well-known online boutique.

The highly anticipated complete Tom Ford makeup line will be coming to the counters this Fall and Jennifer teases us with photos of last year's limited edition nail polish in Black Orchid. Will you be able to resist?

 

Christina of Lovesong For My Lipgloss is hosting her first ever giveaway. And the prize? A Giftcard to Apothica.com so you better run and make sure you enter before 15 September.

Mookie On The Bench falls in love with a gorgeous plum-green duchrome cream eyeshadow by Shiseido. Fans of MAC Club, rights this way.

Product Doctor shares with us a beautiful lipstick from Burberry's new collection. Moisturizing formula? Check! Beautiful packaging? Check! A great choice for all you nude lipstick lovers.

Liz Earle is bringing out a new range of colour cosmetics and Nat tested the Sheer Skin Tint, a lovely tinted moisturizer that will be perfect for those great-skin days.

Ciate Nail Colour: Skinny Jeans 022

I actually received this in my July GlossyBox and stashed it away in my polish drawer because I'm not really a fan of blue nail colours. I am quite fond of mint, turquoise, aqua and even teal shades, but tend to shy away from deeper, darker blues.The colour seems to be a popular choice for nails this Fall with Dior and Chanel both releasing blues in their collections, so I decided to fish out the shade yesterday and give it a go.

Ciate Paint Pot Skinny Jeans 022

I'd describe Skinny Jeans as a really pigmented, cobalt or denim blue shade. It's the first polish I've tried from Ciate and I'm really impressed with the formula, which is fairly thick and applied beautifully. The elongated lid and short, fairly wide brush allowed for really precise application, and the quick drying, rich, non streaking colour made painting my nails an absolute pleasure.

Ciate Skinny Jeans with flash (2 coats)

The photos show two coats of colour without a top coat. Ciate describe their nail colours as being long lasting so I thought I'd test it without Seche Vite to see how long the colour lasts.

Skinny Jeans Direct Sunlight (2 coats)

 So has Skinny jeans changed my opinion of blue polish? No, I don't think so. The colour is lovely, but I'm just not ready to embrace smurf nails yet. Blues look lovely on others, but the colour just isn't for me. I'm glad I've given it a go because I've discovered a new brand of great polish, but I doubt I'll be reaching for the shade again anytime soon. 

Ciate nail colours are available here and cost £9.00 for a 13.5ml bottle 

Are you a fan of blue polish?

Do any of the blues from this years fall collections take your fancy?