Final Review: Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation

So it's been a good solid week now that I have been using this foundation and I have to say I am pleased with the overall wear and coverage. Couple things I should mention before giving the full review: My color is 12 Beige Rose (and while this sounds like it might be a darker color, let me assure you, it's the lightest in the pink under toned colors they do). My skin is normal to oily (but with this wonderfully frigid weather we've been having, my cheeks are a little dry).
OK, now on to specifics....

First the PROS:
Coming in with 20 available shades, it's definitely got something for MOST everyone. Women of color who are much more on the ebony side will probably not find a suitable tone. (This is my biggest pet peeve with any line of foundations, so that could be considered a CON I suppose). It's marketed as long wear and I got a good solid 8 hours out of it before I felt the need to powder (but only slightly on the nose and chin), and the SPF10 is an added benefit but thankfully showed no flashback in pictures (as most foundations with SPF will do). The coverage is medium, but very buildable. I would suggest one pump to cover the entire face and maybe another half pump to go over areas with more needed coverage. The smell is not quite the same as other Lumiere foundations, but it's not terrible either. If you are sensitive to perfumes or scented products, I would suggest sniffing it at the counter. I can assure you that the scent doesn't linger, so you won't be smelling it under your nose all day.

Now on to the CONS:
As I mentioned before, the lack of deeper shades is a bit of a downer, but I can say that my color matches my skintone perfectly. This foundation, however, is one that will oxidize on oilier skins. So if you are very oily, test your skintone plus one shade lighter on your cheek. Give it a good 10 minutes to settle on your skin and then check it in natural lighting. If you're going to have oxidation, you will see that the one that matched you originally, will now have gone a bit too dark. If so, go for the shade lighter. The price. $55 smackaroos. Now, in my world, this isn't that bad. As a makeup artist and just a longtime user of makeup in general, I know you typically get what you pay for. As foundations go, I think if you're gonna spend the money, that's where you need to do it. Powders, blushes, eye shadows, etc. don't matter if your skin looks blotchy and cakey. If you need to justify the price, consider how long it will last you. A good foundation, such as this one, needs only a pump (maybe 2) to cover your whole face. The amount you get is 1 fluid oz. so if you used it everyday, this could probably last you a good solid 3 months minimum. That's a little over $18 a month. Pretty reasonable if you ask me...

Lastly, APPLICATION:
I'm a brush girl. Stippling brush, buffing brush, powder brush... I've used them all to apply foundations. I started using my fluffy powder brush first (which with some creamier foundations, works extremely well to create the airbrush finish), but not with this one. Then I tried a flat foundation brush... but no. Streaky brush marks and the fact that this makeup sets, made this brush not so good for application. I then used a stippling and a buffing brush. Neither of these worked very well for me either, and if you have dry skin, don't even try this method. The micro-exfoliation from the buffing and the fact that this makeup sets is just a recipe for flaky-face. So finally the other morning, in my rush to get kids ready for school, I threw it on with my hands and VOILA! Gorgeousness. So my recommendation for application? Moisturize and then slap this on with the best tools you own... your hands.

That's all I have for you folks. Ultimately I think this foundation does all it says it does. It has lived up to the hype and deserves to stand next to the other tried and true Lumiere foundations. Will I miss Pro Lumiere? Yes... yes I will. Is Perfection Lumiere a  good replacement? Yes, yes it is.

Get Hitched, Give Hope 2011

For 2 years now, I have had the privilege to participate in the event Get Hitched, Give Hope. This non profit organization is basically a Make A Wish Program for adults. For the last 4 years, they have held this event at the Four Seasons in Seattle and wedding vendors from all over come to show off their services, donate items for auction and ultimately help many lives of adult patients with life threatening issues. This year they far exceeded their goal and raised over $80,000! I can't tell you how fulfilling it is to be part of something like this. While my part is relatively small in the grand scheme of things (I work behind the scenes in hair and makeup for the wedding dress models), I still feel I am a part of something great! I greatly urge you head on over to their Facebook Page and check out all the wonderful pictures and information from this years event.

              (Erin Skipley and I after a long day of hair and makeup)

Chanel Foundation review (well... sort of)

As some of you may or may not know, Chanel has a line of Lumiere foundations (vita, aqua, matte and pro) and they have officially discontinued the Pro Lumiere and come up with a new formula, Perfection Lumiere. I broke down this past weekend and shelled out the $55 (sans sales tax, thank you Portland!) for a bottle of this potentially life changing foundation. It’s only been 3 days that I have been using it, so I’m not going to do a full review yet. I’d like to give it a good week to see how my skin reacts, try different application and setting techniques and test out exactly how long it really wears on the skin (since it’s touted as long wearing). I have high hopes for this foundation as all the other Lumiere products are amazing, but only time will tell. I can, however, give you a first impression Pro and Con. PRO: Marketed as a medium coverage foundation, it is still a buildable coverage. I was able to apply a thin layer, allow it to set and apply more without cakiness and the blendability was wonderful. CON: The smell. It has the “old lady perfume” thing going for it. I can handle it as the smell does not linger, but for those easily offended by scents I would suggest taking a good whiff at the counter before purchasing.
So that’s it for now. I’ll be back this weekend with final thoughts, pictures, etc. And if you are interested in purchasing this foundation for yourself and want me to review or comment on anything in particular, please leave me a comment below!

A new Beauty Blog and what that means to You

It’s not that I don’t verbally enjoy sharing my knowledge of beauty and passion for all things makeup, hair and general lovliness. It’s just that, as any of my close family and friends will tell you, I’d much rather SHOW you what I know. Which means that on any given day when I am not beautifying a bride, or working on a shoot, I’m trying to coerce a somewhat willing participant to come and let me do their hair and makeup…just for fun. To me beauty is anything. I am a fan of a gorgeous red lip, but I’m just as head over heels for a latex-laden costume makeup look of a half dead corpse. I love products. All products. If it gets the job done, it doesn’t matter if it cost you $100 or $1. Yeah, there are things to spend your money on, but more on that in a future post. For now, I just want you to get a small taste, an appetizer if you will, of who I am. I will thrill and amaze. I will provide fun and facts. And at the end of the day, if I have done my job right, you will be armed with the knowledge to be your most gorgeous and confident self.