Mac NC15 Pro Longwear

 I have recently switched over to MAC foundation after years of wondering why my makeup always looked amazing in the mornings and then wore off in the afternoon. I've heard so many good things about MAC but always found the price tag to be a little too pricey for me. The most I've usually ever spent on foundation was £15.50 on No7 but that was with my £5 off vouchers. After hearing I should switch and my Auntie offering me her £25 House Of Fraser voucher to buy it with, I took the plunge.

 

MAC Pro longwear is a medium coverage foundation with build able coverage. It's quite a thick foundation to work with but once you get the hang of it, its a dream to use. When the MUA put it on my skin of course with his beaaaautiful MAC 187 as well, I was in awe. My skin looked perfect and airbrushed and I actually had a burst of confidence, I felt beautiful and I was hooked.

 

 

This foundation is seriously the bee's knees. I can put it in at 8am for work and I can come home about 6pm and still look like I'm wearing a fresh face, I can't fault the long wear part of it. The only downside I am not a huge fan on is that it's quite a sticky foundation when you're applying and about an hour or so after application. It does begin to set in and the stick feeling goes but its not the nicest thing in the morning when you've first woke up. It's also very chemically smelling, it's not so strong that I would discontinue usage but it's not very nice. Other than these two things, I LOVE it and would recommend to anyone who was looking for a new foundation to last and to make you feel beautiful and airbrushed. I wear this for everyday wear and I feel sometimes it's maybe a little heavy but I carry on using it. I've had a bad breakout latley and I am unsure if it was from using MAC everyday for just over a week but after a facemask and a little TLC with my skin, it is clearing up.

(Before and After Pro Longwear application. Excuse the before face, I thought i'd show you the difference it really does make)

 

To apply my foundation, I pump 2-3 pumps onto the back of my hand and buff it into my skin using my Buffing Brush by Real Techniques. I would reccommend using 2 pumps to begin with and then a 3rd after if needed. sometimes I can get away with just the 2 pumps.

 

The retail price for this foundation is £24.00 for 30ml and it is one of the only foundations to come with a built in pump. I love this and think for the price it is worth it. I know the Studio Fix is also a really good foundation at £20.50 but if you wish to purchase a pump to go with it, it will set you back £3.50. I know if you buy the pump separately then it's a good investment as your next bottle would only be £20.50 but I have to say, the pro longwear has changed my life and I will be without a doubt re-purchasing.

 

Have any of you bought this foundation and loved it also? Do you use any other foundations that rival MAC? Let me know your thoughts below!

 

Milkmoonxo

La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution

(Image from Google - My camera is in heaven at the moment)

On my never ending quest to finding the perfect cleanser that will refresh my face, remove my make-up and not have a reaction to my sensitive skin I came upon another candidate. La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution has been mentioned on several Guru's videos/blogs as an "amazing but something still missing" cleanser. My mum who regularly enters competitions for various things had actually won a little care package from La Roche-Posay and received a mini sample of this as a part of it. She doesn't really use products so gave them to me and after using it the first time, I was in love.

As my "Neal's Yard Remedies Rose Toner" had just ran out, I knew I had to go purchase another one or at least something else. At £15.50 a bottle I was a little unsure as to wether I wanted to repurchase due to the fact my first bottle was a present. I find when something is given or 'free' you always have a better opinion of it than when you have to fork out your hard earnings. That's when on a small trip to Boots before work, I saw this and thought I had to just buy it and try it properly as I loved the sample.

The Boots website (they stock online and instore) says:

The physiological formulation power and cleansing agents are selected for their optimal tolerance. Soap free, alcohol free, colourant free and paraben free
Sourced from a spring in the centre of France, La Roche-Posay Thermal Spa Water is exceptionally rich in anti-oxidant Selenium. It has soothing, softening and anti-irritating properties and it is renowned for its dermatological efficacy. It is the only water used in our products to maximise their efficacy.

I have to say, I love this cleanser. It ticks all the little things on my list that I look for when buying skin products. My skin likes to freak out over new things but as this is made for sensitive skin and due to it being "all things free" I knew that my skin would accept this with opening arms. It's a freshening product to use and I actually enjoying removing my make-up that I now have a routine and take a good 15-20 minutes taking it all off (and using extra products) I have to say I was worried that it would struggle to take off my MAC Pro Longwear but it removes like a dream. I only have to use a few small cotton pads and my face is makeup free.

I am aware it is a little on the more expensive side but as someone who hardly buys high end, I have to admit that higher end products really are worth the cash. I am not necessarily someone who understands what all the above listed means but I know when something is good on my skin, it's good and vice versa. Since using this and the Effaclaur duo (I will do a separate review on this) my skin is actually getting so much better. I've had a huge breakout lately since using a Lush Facemask (I think they have changed ingredients or my skin just doesn't agree with it anymore) This is now clearing up and I can say I will be using the products for a long long time. I think £11.50 isn't so bad when you gain confidence from your skin being beautiful and clean.

Have any of you ever used this product? What did you think or have you tried anything similar/ better? Let me know your thoughts below!

Thanks for reading!

RT Buffing Brush VS Expert Face Brush

Ever since becoming a blogger all I have ever heard about is the Real Techniques brushes by the famous Samantha Chapman. I wondered what all the fuss was about but after buying them for myself, wow. I don't think I could actually be without them .. well some of them but that will be another post. I originally bought myself the Expert Face Brush after reading reviews it was very similar to the much hyped Buffing Brush, just sold seperatley so technically a little cheaper and seperate. After using it a few times with my usual foundations (No7 Stay Perfect and Rimmel's Wake Me Up) I found it amazing. It gave a lovely coverage that covered the whole face and blemishes/spots and just looked flawless with very little effort. I was in love.

I then caught the bug and had to go on and buy the rest to add to my collection. (They are really addictive)Something in my heart was telling me to buy the Core Collection as you get 4 brushes and all in a cute little case for just over £20, just over double what I paid for one on it's own. I don't know if it was just the fact that I really wanted to see what the Buffing Brush was all about, but I also read on a review that the Pointed Foundation Brush whilst not being a very good foundation brush, was just a very good large concealar brush. I ALWAYS struggle to blend in my conclear and make it look natural so this also made me really want the set, so I took the plunge and bought it. This is when I discovered my love for the Expert Face Brush disappeared and the Buffing Brush took over.

So all the hopla above leads to this post ... Buffing Brush vs Expert Face Brush. Every review I have read on this conversation tells us that they are very similar and if you don't want the whole set, then just to buy the Exepert Face Brush.

But I have to say sorry but I disagree as they both create completly different finishes. Read below for a description of this.

Expert Face Brush - Creates heavier coverage with a flawless finish. Great for special occasions/ going out.

This brush is very dense and creates a much heavier impact with foundations. It is slightly oval shaped and is mostly reccommend to use with the "application and blending of cream or liquid foundation". After using this with a few of my other foundations it was okay, but once I switched over to "MAC Pro longwear" it just made me look like I was caked in foundation which we all know is not a nice look. It's quite a heavy handed brush and because it is so firm and dense you forget to use a lighter hand. It does create a lovely even finish but not so much for everyday wear. It is the sort of brush you would maybe use for a special occassion or if you were going out on the town or with a slightly less coverage foundation (I use Medium/High)

Buffing Brush - Creates a more 'Everyday' wearable look but still gives a flawless finish.

This is a soft and more rounded brush which is a dream to use. Because it is a lot less dense you can use a little more force with it to buff the foundation without creating a too heavy look. It creates more of a lighter finish on the skin and looks really air brushed. I also find that I use a lot less foundation with this, I'm not sure but it may be the fact that as it moves the foundation around before you buff it in that you get a more even and light coverage when using.  I use this for my everyday foundation look but I do have to admit if I need a little more coverage I will go over with the Expert Face Brush and one more pump of foundation. This is generally on one of those days when my occasional breakouts can be a bit too red and annoying to cover with just the usual 2-3 pumps.

I hope the above makes sense and helps anyone who is interested in buying either of these brushes. My final verdict is that if you are willing to buy the set for £20 + then GET IT. The Buffing Brush is a dream to use and is a tool everyone should own. If you are more on a budget and don't neccesairly use a heavy coverage/ high end foundation then the Expert Face Brush will give you a flawless look and make it look like you use a more high end product (but you will use more foundation with this)

 

I'd love to hear what you all think of the brushes and if you had to choose, who would be your winner? Leave your comments below!

Milkmoonxo