Hello lovelies, I have yet another Covering Your Bases post to share with you all today. Today I will be covering The Bodyshops new(ish) which is their Fresh Nude Foundation. If you want to know my thoughts on this foundation just keep on reading!
Packaging//Design: The packaging for this product is nice and simple, minimalistic which I do enjoy quite a bit. It is glass so its something that you might have to be careful with when traveling but it isn't so huge and bulky. It has a pump dispenser which is always an added bonus and it dispenses nicely.
Color Range//
This range comes with 16 shades. All of which have nature inspired names which is pretty neat and represents The Body Shop brand quite well. From the lightest shade, which I have with me today Chelsea Porcelain to the darkest shade which seems to be Tuscany Chesnut ( listed on the website). I really like that the shade range is nice and large to try and accommodate all skin tones. I always appreciate that. For me, miss pale princess the shade Chelsea Porcelain does me just fine. Normally, I like match best with a foundation that has a slightly more golden undertone however the next shade up in this particular range wasn't exactly cutting it for my skin so I stuck with the fairest shade which is a little more pink toned but so subtly so you can't really tell. I am pretty certain that one could find a pretty good match with this range due to its size and varying undertones.
Application//
This is a very lightweight and refreshing feeling foundation. I think this must be due to some of its ingredients like aloevera and English rosewater. I think even though I love using my trusty beauty blender I would say this particular formulation is best applied with a brush due to the fact that it is a more sheer foundation you will get more coverage with a brush and also a sponge will suck up a lot of the product.
Coverage//
On The Bodyshop website they describe the Fresh Nude foundation as having a semi-matte finish. I kindly disagree with that description and standby that this foundation gives more of a dewy finish when applied but, it does have an extremely natural look to it. Its not airbrushed or caked on it really mimics the look of freshly moisturized skin. On my dry skin that is a winning situation. On more oily skin this would have to be set with at least a little bit of powder. This foundation can be built up a little bit but know that you won't get it to a full coverage look on its own. At the most this product can get to is a semi medium coverage. It is meant to be light coverage. If your looking for heavy duty coverage I would either mix this with something or look to another foundation.
Overall Thoughts//
Normally, I like a more full coverage, perfected skin look. I adore my Too Faced Born This Way foundation for that kind of look. However, for a day where I am not doing much, one where I really have to rush out the door and have little time for makeup this foundation is perfect. Its very quick to blend into the skin and because of the aloe-vera and rosewater it calms down any redness I may have making it not a priority to have a fuller coverage foundation anyways. It feels extremely fresh which makes it perfect for spring and summertime wear ( as long as you have a good facial SPF to go underneath for summertime). I think this foundation would be ideal for the minimal and natural makeup lover and also good for sensitive skin types.
The price on this foundation is $25.00 which isn't too bad ( you are getting around 1 fluid ounce which is typical of a lot of foundations) plus, The Bodyshop offers good discounts from time to time especially if you are a member of the Love Your Body Card which will give you 10% off.
Have you tried this foundation? what are your thoughts? let me know in the comments section I would really love to hear from you.
That about wraps it up for my thoughts today!
Hope you are all having a great week!
See you soon
- A
Hello all!
As you might have seen in my previous post, I mentioned a new foundation that has entered my life that I have been quite enjoying. The Too Faced Born This Way Foundation ( trying desperately not to break out into the song with the same title while typing this..). This foundation has become a great little base for the autumn/fall season. The focus of very dewy and glowing sun kissed skin becomes a little more subdued in the Fall and Winter. Interests shift to more dramatic and glam looks for the eyes and lips. This is one of those foundations that is getting quite a bit of hype on the internet. I can't help it but be curious and really put it to the test to see if it lives up to the standard that has been created for it. After using it for two and a half months now I have a few thoughts to share about this product.
Lets get down the nitty gritty rundown shall we..
Packaging// Design
Too Faced went with a slightly more traditional approach with their packaging for Born This Way with glass packaging and pump applicator. However, that never goes unappreciated. The pump is easy to use and does not dispense too much product. The frosted glass packaging is cute but may be difficult to travel with. The gold lettering used on the product is also a nice touch. Aside from it being glass I think Too Faced made great choices with its packaging by keeping it practical but also sticking to their cute branding which they are partly known for.
Color Range//
When first released there were12 shades starting from Porcelain described to suit fair skin with pink-neutral undertones to the shade Caramel described to suit deep/tan skin with neutral to golden undertones. There were quite a lot of people to be left out of the initial release who had very fair skin ( since the lightest shade still ran a bit dark) and also to those who have much deeper skin. Cries were heard and Too Faced answered by recently releasing two new paler shades; Snow and Pearl, and four new deeper shades; Mocha, Maple, Chestnut and Mahogany. I really appreciate that Too Faced brought out more shades so that more people are able to try and use this foundation. Just as I was typing up this review I was aware that you could only purchase new shades on Too Faced.com but I am pleased to inform that now all 17 shades are up on Sephora's website. I am still unsure if they have hit the brick and mortar stores but still ( hooray!). Personally, I find the shade Porcelain to be pretty satisfactory for me, though I am curious how the shade Pearl would suit me since I do fall slightly into the category of the "ghost skin" club.
Application//
When pumped out into the hand this foundation appears to be on the thicker side, meaning it does not slip and slide quickly on the hand. When actually applied to the face you can already get a feel for the coverage but it applies very smoothly. As always when it comes to foundation I cannot stop using my trusty beauty blender. I barely remember the last time I used a brush for applying foundation. Not that a brush is bad, I just love the refreshing feeling of the beauty blender. When dampened with cool water and just pouncing the sponge onto the skin feels so nice. I do like to take my time to really blend this foundation in since it is a full coverage foundation but as I said before I find this foundation to apply really smoothly and easily onto the skin. On a second note this foundation also has no scent which may be good for more sensitive skin types.
Coverage//
Now, as I have mentioned this foundation is a full coverage foundation so for those who prefer really light coverage will not suit this foundation. I do find that it can be build-able without looking too heavy. I have some acne scarring on my cheeks that are a bugger to cover up and one of the reasons I prefer a higher coverage foundation so I can smooth out the redness and texture that remains on my skin. After creating one layer I get pretty great coverage but I usually add a light second layer to those troubled areas. All of that only requires about a pump and a half of product.
Overall Thoughts//
My overall thoughts on this foundation. I think it has become a great staple for the fall and winter months. I would call the finish mostly matte ( but not flat and dry looking) and normally I prefer a more dewy finish, but thats when I pick up my powder highlighter and go to town. Of which anyone could certainly add a more glowy primer beforehand or liquid highlighter into the mix to also achieve a more glowing appearance ( like the new Becca Backlight Primer or one of their liquid illuminators for example). That aside my conclusions to this foundation are as follows : Its long lasting on the skin which is probably one of the bigger pros to this product with me and battling against winter skin. Scarves, environmental elements like wind and snow and cold make wearing certain foundations difficult as it tends to break down a lot more ( at least that is what I notice I am not quite sure why that is.) I have not yet seen how this will last during a blizzardy day but that day I am sure is quickly approaching being from New England. However, I have given it the "really long day at work test" and it passes with relatively high marks. When I get back in my car to go home or when I am on break I usually check to make sure I don't look like a hot mess with foundation breakage and or any other makeup mishaps. Foundation wise at least this one passes the grade by lasting on the skin without moving around too much at all. Second conclusion is that I think this foundation suits a nice and large audience. Its a crowd pleaser from its packaging to its performance People want something that is going to look great/flawless without feeling heavy or mask like on the skin but they want something that will last through a very long day without major touch ups. People want something with skin benefits and that isn't going to break them out. And they want something that can fit most skin types. I think that this foundation fits a lot of that. Because is is lighter weight on the skin, it is a great full coverage, it does last long throughout the day, it has coconut water infused in the formula to help hydrate the skin but is oil free which makes it less likely to cause breakouts. And I lastly I think with its edits in color selection and the formula it would suit a lot of skin types. If you are severely dry I might use a hydrating primer or mist. If you are severely oily I would use perhaps a bit of a mattifying primer where you find yourself most oily.
The Too Faced Born This Way Foundation gets a high mark in my book I would recommend it if you happen to be in the market for a new foundation. Remember, you can always ask for a sample if you are close to a Sephora location. You can test out pretty much any foundation you may be slightly on the fence about before buying it full size.
That about wraps it up for this review. I hope it was enjoyable/educational. If you have tried this foundation or have any other foundation recommendations I would love to hear your thoughts down in the comments below, it would really make my day.
I hope you all are having a great week and I will see you all soon!
- A
