Mac Studio Fix Fluid Foundation NC20

I picked the Studio Fix Fluid foundation up on last month on my first visit to an actual Mac store, unfortunately thats about two hours away from where i live but id taken myself on a shopping trip and thought it was the perfect opportunity to get matched for a Mac foundation.
I decided on Studio Fix as i wanted a long lasting foundation with good coverage and Studio Fix is described as being "A modern foundation that combines a natural matte finish and medium build-able coverage" Studio Fix comes in a small glass bottle, annoyingly with a twist top lid. I really hate this sort of packaging as i find having to tip the foundation out a hassle, Mac do sell individual foundation pumps so i bought one to make life easier for myself. The pump cost me an extra £4 on top of the £21.50 for the foundation, which is still cheaper than the £32 i pay for my Nars foundation. I was a bit concerned the pump would empty foundation out everywhere in my makeup bag as it doesn't fit inside the lid but luckily you can twist it to lock it.
I was matched to the shade NC20 which as you can see from the picture above is too dark for me but we decided on this shade as it would match me when I'm fake tanned for nights out which is what i would wear a more full cover foundation like Studio Fix for. I was also given a shade of NC15 to take away and test for days when I'm not fake tanned and i actually wasn't keen i think it washed me out and i think i would need a NC18 for a perfect match. For anyone needing a little help deciphering Macs shade labeling,

• NC= neutral cool and is yellow (warm) toned 
• NW= neutral warm and is pink (cool) toned

I have no idea why they did it this way seems pretty backwards to me but i find it helps logic it out in your mind if you think of the N as being not instead of neautral, so = Not Cool for NC and Not Warm NW.
Anyway the NC is definitely right for me the yellow tones suit my skin perfectly and when I'm fake tanned this is the perfect match for me.
Studio Fix is a fairly thick foundation i only require a couple of pumps to cover my entire face and neck which is great. Blending wise i find it takes a little bit of buffing it in, but it covers really well and has excellent coverage, i would agree that it is medium and its also really easy to add more to up the coverage to full if needed. The finish is amazing, i think it looks flawless covering imperfections and pores i love how it looks. The durability of this foundation is also impressive, it most defiantly will last the night and you don't start to lose coverage in areas.
Its a bit too heavy for me personally as an everyday foundation just because i like something a little sheerer and lighter, however it is my new favourite foundation for times i want to look flawless and want my foundation to stay looking good.

Have you tried Studio Fix? What did you think?

Zoe

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Outfit, Splash of Pink

Jacket- Missguided

Blouse- River Island (similar)

Jeans- River Island

Shoes- Primark

Sunglasses- RayBan

Im loving these white jeans at the moment, their my top must have for Spring/Summer. I've been pairing mine with bright tops to make them really pop, but i also love them with this black and white checked wrap blouse for a bit of a monochrome vibe. Of course i couldn't put an outfit together without even a little bit of colour to it, so i through on my favourite pink biker to add that splash of colour. Im also happy its finally warm enough for me to wear my favourite sandals from last Summer without risking losing a toe, these beauties were my best bargain purchase from last year and I'm sure i will get a lot more wear out of them this Summer too. 

What do you think of my outfit? Are you loving white jeans?

Zoe

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April Beauty Haul

Just a quick post to share a few new makeup goodies i've treated myself to lately....

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe-

Im a massive fan of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip-brow Pomade, its my go to for on point brows, the only problem is i find i like to take my time with it to get it looking how i want and on days i literally have minutes to do my makeup and get out the door that just doesn't work. I'd also heard good things about the Brow Wiz so i thought that id give it a try if that works better for the days i need my brows fast. 

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer-

Id been lusting after this primer for a long time, but at £50 a bottle i wanted to know i would like it before i bought it for myself. I got a sample pot from Space Nk and unfortunately... i loved it. I managed to find the smaller version at a much more reasonable price of £20 so i added it to my basket immediately. 

Nyx Conceal Correct Contour in Light-

I really fancied trying a cream contour kit, but before splashing out on a pricey Anastasia Beverly Hills one without knowing if i'd actually get on with a cream product i thought id try a cheaper version first. I spotted a great review of this NYX kit on Kissable Complexions blog and thought i'd give it a go. 

Anastasia Liquid Lipstick in Baby Pink-

I had been dying to get my hands on one of these ever since they first launched. I'm a big fan of liquid lipsticks and they have an amazing colour selection, it was hard to choose a colour but i finally settled on Baby Pink, i will do a full review once i've tested it out properly. 

Have you treated yourself to any new makeup lately? What's on your wishlist?

Zoe

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Makeup Revolution Pro Fix Oil Control Fixing Spray

If like me you have an oily skin type you will fully understand the daily struggle it entails to simply  keep your makeup intact for the duration of the day. I find myself constantly on the lookout for new makeup products and skin care that claim to help solve this, oil control moisturisers, primers, foundation and powders anything that will keep my makeup looking good for longer, and so when the opportunity arose to test out a new Oil Control Setting spray i jumped at the chance.
The Makeup Revolution Pro Fix Oil Control Fixing Spray* is the latest makeup fixing spray Makeup Revolution has brought to the table this time aimed at oilier skins and keeping the makeup intact for up to 12-hours, preventing fading and smudging and leaving the skin with a matte finish, sounds good right?
I was incredibly excited to start testing it out, i've previously tried the De-Slick setting spray from Urban Decay but i don't feel it was anything to write home about, i was left feeling it was a bit pointless and its not something i would re-purchase so i was hoping for better things from Revolution.
The Oil Control Fixing Spray comes in a small bottle containing 100-ml of product a fair amount i feel for the £5 price tag and also a great size to fit in your makeup bag or handbag. After applying my makeup i simply hold the bottle about 10-inches away from my face and spray in an x shape onto my skin. The spray delivers a very fine mist which is just the right amount to not leave your face too wet, it dries really quickly and feels light and not at all sticky.
The thing i love the most about it is the finish it leaves on the skin, having oily skin can mean having to wear more layers of products to make your makeup last, i wear primer, foundation, concealer and various powders which could leave the skin looking slightly too makeup and powdery. I find the spray helps give back that fresh real skin look taking away the powdery finish whilst locking all the makeup in. Im not sure i would describe it as a matte finish though i think it gives life back to the skin making it look more natural.
In regards to keeping my makeup on for longer i've been testing it out mainly with the Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation which i usually have to touch up after about 3/4 hours and starts to come away on my nose after about 8-hours. I would say it prolongs me having to touch my makeup up for about an extra hour or so which i have been impressed with, it also seems to keep the makeup on better around my nose.
The Pro Fix Oil Control Fixing Spray has quickly become the finishing touch to my makeup routine, i've become addicted to the fresh skin finish and the extra lasting power it gives my foundation.

Have you trued the Makeup Revolution Oil Control Fixing Spray? What did you think?

Zoe

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Outfit, The Spring Orange Knit

Jumper- River Island-

Jeans- Topshop

Shoes- New Look

Bag- River Island

Sunglasses- Jeepers Peepers*

So Spring has well and truly sprung and with this warmer and brighter weather brings the perfect excuse to update your wardrobe for the new season. Not that i usually need the excuse to shop but this has meant me picking up a few new bits of clothing over the last couple of months, and as i haven't done an outfit post in a while i thought i best get showing some of it off. I was also thinking of maybe doing a collective fashion/clothing haul if anyones interested in what i've been buying? (let me no in the comments if you are)

River Island is full of gorgeous bright shades at the moment, i picked this bold tangerine coloured knit up last week and its quite fine so its great for Spring, i also thought it was an interesting shape and i like the detail on the bottom and the sleeves. I've also recently picked up a pair of Topshops MoM jeans a bit late to the party i know, i wasn't sure i was going to like the loser fit but i actually really do and I'm really into ripped and distressed detailing on denim at the moment. I think the jumper and the jeans have a sort of casual laid back vibe that i've dressed up a bit with the lace up flats. The shoes are from New Look and i'm obsessed with them, i really hope they bring them out in some different colours. The bag is also from River Island, i thought it was a great neutral shade that will go with everything and bucket bags are a big trend for SS15, i call it my mary poppins bag as its very deceptive with what you can fit in there.

Zoe

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Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation, better than Sheer Glow?

Left Nars Sheer Glow, Right Nars All Day Weightless Luminous

With Nars Sheer Glow being undoubtedly my holy grail of foundation, it went without saying that when Nars presented us with their latest foundation offering, that not only claimed to give a natural luminous finish but also last all day that i would have to try it.
I ordered myself a bottle as soon as it was available in the UK, eagerly anticipating its arrival to test it out and compare it to my all time favourite, and now having used it over the last few months i feel ready to have my say.

Packaging- 
The most noticeable and welcome addition to the packaging is the pump Nars have decided to add to the Luminous Weightless foundation, i think its great one of my biggest peeves with Sheer glow is having to try and tip the foundation onto my hand or onto the brush which could be messy and give you more product than you need. The bottle is also very smart and sleek looking made of frosted glass, it is a bigger bottle than Sheer Glow but you still get the same amount (30ml).

Consistency/Finish-
From the name i expected Luminous Weightless to be a thinner consistency but i was surprised how runny it actually is, compared to Sheer Glow its is very watery. However for such a light foundation it has some impressive coverage like Sheer Glow i would say medium/full it covers imperfections easily  but looks natural, its also incredibly easy to blend in to the skin and you don't need many pumps to cover the face. It does live up to the name in that it feels weightless it really doesn't feel like there anything on your skin which is great because i hate the feel of heavy cakey makeup. It is a lot more of a matte finish than Sheer Glow, and although is is natural looking i feel compared to the glowing finish Sheer Glow gives you it can look a little flat.

Longevity/Color-
This is where the main difference between the two foundations comes to head for me, as much as i love Sheer Glow its probably not best aimed at oily skin like mine and although i adore the finish it gives me it just doesn't last as well as id like before i have to touch my makeup up and most definitely not all day.
All Day Luminous Weightless lasts at least four hours on my skin before i have to blot and add a bit of powder and for a foundation on my skin thats pretty good. After that it requires further touch ups of powder every couple of hours throughout the day and at the end of the day after about 10/12hrs wear its usually worn of a bit around my nose but other than that the rest of my face is still good.
The colour i have in both foundations is Fuji which is Nars shade Light 5, i went with the same shade as my Sheer Glow in the hope it was the same and luckily it is as you can see from the picture above the two and practically identical perhaps Sheer Glow is slightly darker but not much but still a great match for me.

So which is my favourite?
I think when it comes down to it i couldn't pick a favourite because i love them both in deferent ways, and when they run out i will definitely be repurchasing both foundations. If you asked me what foundation gave me my absolute favourite finish then my answer would still be Sheer Glow and if i was picking a foundation where i wanted to look my best perhaps a date or a dinner thats what i would pick, however the foundation i have been reaching for lately has been All Day Luminous Weightless its light natural looking and it can last the day something that i don't find in all foundations and is why it would be my go to for days and nights out where i want my foundation to last.

Have you tried the new Nars foundation? What did you think?

Zoe

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