Dior Skin Nude Foundation

My Chanel Vitalumiere bottle has been scraped clean, with my Mac Face & Body and Nars Sheer Glow almost at their end. So I decided to go out and get myself some new foundation. Contrary to many popular reviews, I found the the Chanel and the Face and Body did not like my skin much. I feel the F&B a bit too sticky and heavy for my skin, and Chanel - well not a good colour match for me amongst other niggly things. I still like the Nars one, and probably will get another bottle once I've finished mine.

I popped over to House of Fraser and skimmed pass the Dior counter. An assistant saw me eyeing up the DiorSkin foundation and asked whether I wanted to try it. So yes I did. She matched me to 031 Sable/Sand which I thought would be too light at first. But on my skin it blended in pretty well. I liked the finish so bought myself a bottle.

Here is what it says about the foundation on the actual Dior website:
Natural Glow Hydrating Makeup - Containing nearly 40% water, this fluid foundation offers an instant sensation of well-being. KSin appears fresher, silky and feels more comfortable. Thanks to micro-droplets of water, this foundation's coverage is lighter than a “classic” fluid formula, and it evens out the complexion and makes it appear more radiant and transparent. With daily use, the skin becomes more beautiful for an ever more natural and radiant result day after day.

I have only used it for about three weeks but I love it. Its not too dewey which I like, has spf 10, soo light and lasts a good 6-8 hours without rubbing off on my clothes. The coverage is great. I have some awful blemishes round my chin area because of a small outbreak. This foundation covers it up well without the need for much concealer and without looking like I have caked on make up. It still lets my skin look natural.

I am really pleased with the effect, and I have had a couple of compliments on my skin when I have been out with it on. A big thumbs up for me!

Related articles

• Diorskin Nude Compact Gel Natural Glow Creme-gel makeup review (lipglossismylife.com)

More Body Shop Stuff

I treated myself to a few things at the Body Shop last week

Vitamin E Lip Care SPF 15 (£4)

Does a decent job of keeping my lips moisturised. Plus it has spf - bonus

Tea Tree Blotting Tissues (£4.50)

I have already mentioned this on another post. I restocked because I love them. They take away the afternoon shine in a clean way. It takes away excess oil ready for retouching make up for the evenings out straight after work. 

White Musk Eau De Toilette 60ml (£14)

I have always had one of these for years now. Just a nice, cute and clean smell. 

Aloe Soothing Day Cream for Sensitive Skin (£9)

This is for my gym kit, for when I shower straight after the gym (just recently joined). The assistant said this might be the best thing for me as it is light and won't clog the pores which is what I need for my skin at that time. I tried a sample of this in the summer and I really liked it.

Also, because £15 of the products was skincare, I got a full sized Vitamin C Microdermabrasion (worth £12).

Review to follow once I've tried it out.

The lovely assistants (at the branch near Selfridges, Bond Street by the way) also gave me a sample of the Aloe calming toner and Blue Corn Scrub Mask to try out. All this for £12 is a bloody great bargain in my eyes. 

Beauty Bloggers Backstage - 7 questions with K from Cosmeddicted.com

This month, I have been paired up with the lovely K from Cosmeddicted.com I asked her seven questions, here are her answers:

1) I am obsessed with getting flawless skin. Any recommendations? 

Three things have really made a difference:

(1) getting enough sleep,

(2)drinking tons of water, and

(3) taking Vitamin E capsules. After 10 days of taking Vitamin E capsules, my skin and hair looked totally different!

2) How do you get rid of blemishes / acne scars? 

Again, water! Also gentle exfoliation and whitening products.

3) What is your typical skin care routine like?

- wash face with cleanser 

- use japanese toner on cotton to make a homemade sheet mask 

- leave sheet mask on for 15 minutes - remove, apply light moisturizer 

4) What beauty items do you always carry with you in your makeup bag or purse? 

Oil blotting sheets and lip balm. If my bag is slightly bigger, I'll have a lipstick, lipgloss, and powder in my bag as well.

5) Do you wear sunscreen over your moisturiser but under your foundation? Does it cause any problems with keeping makeup in place when you do use the sunscreen? 

I apply moisturizer, then sunscreen, then foundation. I allow enough time for my moisturizer to sink in by doing other stuff. For example, I change into my clothes after putting on moisturizer. Also, I pick a sunscreen that leaves a powdery finish.

6) How long have you been blogging for and what got you into blogging? 

I just hit my 2nd blogversary a few days ago! I got into blogging after reading a lot of beauty blogs written by other Asian girls. I'm really happy that I got to know them and even meet some of them!

7. What is you favourite high end and low end make up brand? 

That really depends on the product! For skin care, I love the Rohto Gokujyun line, which is super affordable in Asia. I love the Barry M Dazzle Dusts that I picked up in the UK. I love the Sleek iDivine palettes, although I hate their customer service. For mascaras, I never use high end products since drugstore products are great and I need to throw them out very 3 months anyway. My favorite is the Cover Girl Lash Blast (the original in the orange tube), but I'm enjoying the Maybelline Volume Express Colossal as well. It's hard to pick a high end favorite. I feel that products really need to deliver on their claims for me to want to shell out the money for them.

Have a peruse around her blog, its full of informative and fun stuff!

Origins Ginzing Eye Cream and other stuff

I was browsing though the Boots website, ordering my usual everyday supplies (like shampoo, cotton wool etc) when I came across an amazing Origins offer. Its the 'Origins Good to Glow Ginzing Eye Gift Set' which is exclusive to Boots online. The set contains:

• Ginzing Eye Cream
• Full story Lash Loving Mascara
• Duel Ended Lip Gloss
• Pretty decent sized toiletry bag

I have been on the look out for another eye cream as the two I am currently using are okay, but are not helping combat the depressing dark circles.  I have already used one of their night eye creams which I liked, but not loved but I have heard a lot of good things about Origins eye creams in general. So I thought, I might as well try the Ginzing one out as one of it's main features is to beighten the eye area. 

It contains ginseng to hydrate and reduce puffiness, with shimmery silica and mica illuminaors to brighten and minimise the look of dark circles. On the Origins website, the full sized 15ml costs £20. Now on the Boots website, you get the full sized 15ml eye cream with the bonus mascara, lipgloss and wash bag currently for a grand total of £12.50!!!!!! 

Definitely worth having a try out.

Lipgloss swatches

Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother

I might have mentioned this before, I have been dyeing and highlighting my hair nearly since I have been 14 years old. Naturally, all this has taken it's toll on the condition of my hair and I decided six months ago to chop and dye it all jet black so that I can start all over again. I am liking my black hair at the moment but may go back to being lighter in the summer. My goal at the moment is to start strengthening, and healing my damaged hair. I don't like using many products because my hair is still pretty thick and feel that most things weigh my it down. However, I am using a couple of things like moroccan oil, and I have now started incorporating the Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother into my routine now.

My hair is all pretty broken where I kept putting in highlights so at the moment, it gets a bit flyaway on the top. This stuff helps control these problems. Especially during this crazy windy weather. It claims to:

"tame frizz and defend against humidity for up to 12 hours thanks to our breakthrough plant infusion formula that creates a smooth surface on hair, protecting from heat styling."

I work in an air conditioned office where myself and my colleagues have a daily battle with Facilities team over the gusts of cold air that goes through our section. I blame this office for me being ill for nearly over three months now. This evil air conditioning also dries my skin out and makes my hair look like a mad woman by the afternoon. I have discovered that this helps keep my hair style throughout the day, so now it is definitely a staple in my hair care.

The product smells AMAZING as do all Aveda products. It smells all natural, organic and how products in salons usually smell. You know, expensive! It costs £18 for 100ml and will last you for ages I reckon as you only need a small blob through damp hair. The next day, my hair doesn't look greasy and flat either - a bonus!

They were giving out samples a couple of weeks ago in their salons, I suggest try and get one if they have any left. 

Things I'm loving at the moment (Feb '11)

E.L.F Sheer Mineral Booster (starting at £3.50)

I'm a big fan of the Bare Minerals 'Mineral Veil', and think this E.L.F version is a pretty decent, much cheaper dupe. I've been using this on top of my foundation and cream blushes to set everything. It doesn't stop the shiny t-zones coming through all day however. But it is so light weight and non-cakey looking, and I like the way it looks.


Batiste Brit Dry Shampoo (£2.19)

I've mentioned this before but since discovering dry shampoo, my hair is looking better as it being allowed to rest in between washes. I cannot recommend this product highly enough, it really will change the way you do your hair! A bonus of using this is that it helps me style my hair and keep it in place without having to use other products to weigh my hair down. This Brit Batiste version is so clean and fresh smelling, I love it!

Origins Starting Over Age-erasing Moisterizer with Mimosa (£35)

Origins products as a general rule are really good and this is no exception. I'm loving using this in the winter months. I like to wear this on days I don't wear makeup (which is only when I know I'll be at home all day!). This is because when I wear this over a serum, I feel that my complexion looks smoother and brighter.  It has three main ingredients: Mimosa (soothing proerties), Argan Leaf Extract (protects against UV) and Green Algae (helps skin boost its now natural collagen). My skin feels smooth and plump all day.

NYX 'Goddess of the Night' Lipgloss in 'Juicy Red' 149 (£3.99)

NYX is a bit harder to get in the UK. There are however a few decent sites which you can order from. I'm into red lips at the moment and this on top helps soften the drama of the colour. The gloss smells of delicious strawberry and it gives such a long lasting 'glossy effect'. Really good value for money. Definitely will invest on a few more colours.

No7 Perfect Lips Pencil in' 15 Fire' (£7.50)

I love wearing this all over my lips and then using the NYX gloss on top. If I want something more dramatic, I use Mac's Russian Red lipstick in between these two products.


Korres Volumising Lash Conditioning and Strengthening Mascara (£10.00)

At first glance, the wand or the product do not look very exciting and when I first tried it, I was annoyed about the price I paid for something which I thought did not work at all. However, after a couple of days when a bit of air went in, I have fallen in love with this mascara. It does not necessary make my lashes longer, but makes them look more plump and full. I am using this every morning at the moment, and I am glad I bought it. 

Nars Sheer Glow with Benefit 'That Gal'

My favourite foundation/primer combo of the moment - they are the Benefit 'That Girl' brightening face primer and Nars Sheer Glow foundation. These together seem to work really well with my super dry winter skin at the moment.

Benefit 'That Girl' brightening face primer (21.50)

Please excuse the wear and tear of the outside packaging, I've had this product for a couple months now. I was initially a bit hesitant to get this as I thought it would be gimmicky and would end up making me look like a greaseball by the end of the day. But I have been pleasantly surprised by it. The 'Bad Gal' comes in what looks like a cross between a Prit Stick and play dough machine, and you have to twist the bottom to get the product out.

I hate this because it reminds me of little worms. So I am not a big fan of the container it comes in. The product itself is a light, creamy pink. It smells very sweet and lovely. Despite the colour, it is suitable for all skin tones, as I find with a lot of Benefit products. The idea behind this is, that it is meant to help brighten dull complexion as well as act as a primer. It does brighten the complexion, and as you lightly blend it over the skin, you can see your face looking a bit more healthier. It also smoothes out the skin so acts as a good base for foundation. What I do it put this on after my moisteriser, let it sink in whilst I do my eye make up, them put the foundation on top. It also works really well as a highlighter which I tend to top up through the day.

Nars Sheer Glow (£29 for 30ml)

I got skin matched last summer in 'Sycracuse' which was a pretty good match for me. Reviews of this foundation are in abundance, and they tend to be positive. I agree with these reviews. Although pricey, this is lasting me ages. I would say it is a medium coverage, and no matter how many layers I put on, it never seems to look 'caked'. It dries to a natural, healthy finish and does not wipe off the minute you touch it. In fact it is very well long wearing. At the moment, it is the best foundation I have tried and experienced. I will definitely be repurchasing this. I've got enough left for maybe three or four faces so looking forward to see what shade I'll be for winter.

What I have recently discovered is using the 'That Gal' under the Nars Sheer glow, my skin looks flawless without looking overly made up or like a disco ball. The foundation will last throughout my 9 hour work day, and I just need to lightly touch up around my t-zone if I'm planning to go out in the evening.

It photographs beautifully as well - the skin looks flawless, glowing and radiant.

One word of warning with bad gal, is that I have discovered that it does not work well with all foundations. Its a disaster under Mac Face & Body, and anything too 'liquidy'. I don't find it works well as a primer with some other foundations and to be honest, I only use it with my Nars. Actually, it works well with the Maybelline 24hr Stay as well.