REVIEW: Body Shop Matte Clay Foundation

This week is the end of FOUNDATION review month and were finalising it with the 'Unreleased' Matte Clay Foundation from the Body Shop.
As you all may know, I work very closely with the Body Shop as a Home Consultant which I offer the 'home parties' and skincare consultations that I personalise to your skin type and concerns to match you with the perfect products.

I have used the Body Shop for MANY years and realised that these products are the only brand that I have physically seen and felt a difference with for any skin concern that I have had throughout each year. I now use these products in my working makeup kit on my clients and recommend them highly when it comes to certain concerns that people need my help in correcting.
Also amazing that the brand is fully vegan, uses natural ingredients - minus the chemicals and is Cruelty-free.

So when I got invited to their VIP night I was honoured with the pleasure of taking away the brand new foundation in EVERY COLOUR and also a few other bits that are new releasing for Mid August 2017. Of course this came at perfect timing as it was the month for Foundation Reviews and I knew that it was a great time to give my skin a full week dedicating my foundation finish to this new Matte Clay Foundation.

This week i reviewed this foundation in shade '026 - Tamerza Dune' - without primers, powders or setting sprays.

The overall result for this foundation is a Matte finish, and the highest 'Body shop' foundation coverage. Matte Clay 'Skin Clarifying' Foundation contains natural Tea Tree ingredients to help purify your skin throughout usage of the day. Tea Tree is well know for its cleansing power on blemishes and oily skin types so the fact that this is a heavy coverage is actually helping your skin to breathe with ingredients like this to keep kin clean and prevent clogging pores.
Don't worry if your skin is the opposite - such as dry and you do not have a problem with blemishes as these ingredients are 100% natural so they will not do anything damaging to the skin, it all adapts to your natural pH.
A tip for drier skin types would just completely treat and hydrate the skin before applying foundation to even out the service and a prep spray such as 'Vitamin E Face Mist' would be great to use before and after the makeup application to contain moisture.

Anyway, more on the foundation… The Body Shop describes this foundation to be 'Specifically formulated for clearer looking's skin, this vegan foundation perfects with 24HR coverage, whilst combatting shine and allowing your skin to breath'
From my experience throughout this foundation test for 5 days, I found that I first off fell in love with the refreshing smell when I applied it straight onto my skin.
Its not a strong tea-tree smell but its really clean and detox sensors made me feel like this will be benefiting my skin straight away.
I applied this again using my Real Techniques Stippling Brush and buffed onto the skin in circular motions.

The application was really easy and it blending beautifully into my skin whilst leaving and amazing full coverage effect with of course its matte finish. Honestly felt and looked flawless.
Although I'm not always a matte skin 'kind of girl' I love my dewy finish but i just added my highlighter onto my skin and I was happy with that!

It did last the WHOLEEE day, I didn't have to touch up at all! Sometimes matte foundations can be quite dry which causes the foundation to become patchy through the day but this foundation did none of this.
And the best part of all, the full coverage did not feel thick in the slightest! It felt so light-weight and comfortable all day which is amazing for such a high finish foundation.

I absolutely loved this foundation and it will definitely be my go to foundation when winter approaches (just can't say goodbye to my dewy finish just yet)
So i would HIGHLY recommend this foundation to in fact… anyone!
Just because lots of people avoid heavy coverage due to the thick feeling, but like i said, its the complete opposite.
So if your wanting a change, a lightweight foundation and a flawless matte finish then get your hands on this in July.

Its only a few weeks left so lets use up all your current foundation and start fresh for summer.
If anyone would like to go on my 'waiting list' for this foundation, I will happily colour match your skin tone perfectly and get it ordered for you.
So please feel free to contact me…
makeupbysophiedowning@yahoo.co.uk

Before I end my final June review here the BRAND NEW Body Shop Catalogue for Autumn 2017!
Theres so many new items in here and the brand just grows bigger and bigger every month.
From new foundations, eye crayons in show-stopping shades, new luxurious spa and hair ranges and so much more.
To see the catalogue click HERE 

Starting next Tuesday, I will be focussing my July Reviews on 'Face Mists' I have some amazing ones to test and tell you about, and with us hopefully getting a hot July or you're going on your summer holidays then you need one of these…

Love Sophie
xx

www.makeupbysophiedowning.co.uk
@makeupbysophiedowning

REVIEW: Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation

As you may notice, JUNE is focussing on weekly foundation reviews.
This week is Lancôme with their Teint Idole Ultra Wear foundation which has been relaunched with their new addition shades. This foundation has been on the market for a good few years and is one of their well known products in their makeup collection.

This product is one of lancomes best selling liquid foundation and also available in an amazing (now) 40 Shades!!
Lancôme states this foundation to be 'long lasting and provides full coverage without feeling cakey'
Some amazing scientific points is that it contains 2 most oil absorbing, effective ingredients and  special pigments that consist a PH level of the skin which helps sit and absorb best with your skin tone.

I was matched up with 024-Beige Vanille which of course is a yellow undertone for me and matched my skin perfectly. It comes as a packaged sample which is pre-prepared in a box, in a squeezable tube with 5ml of product.
I applied my foundation every day with a Real Techniques Stipping Brush (Pink Handle) squoze the right amount of product on to the back of my hand and buffed it onto the skin in circular motions starting in the centre of the face and outwards.

I remember years ago, a friend who used to wear this. At that point I was all about FULL coverage, a bit like last weeks MAC review, that would have been a top fave of mine but as my skin has got better and maintains a clear, more flawless finish I can't bear a thick foundation.
So all I can say is I loved this finish!
It is "claimed" a full coverage but I have used thicker although I would rate this as a more medium coverage.
The first point I look out for in my foundations is to fully even out any discolouration/pigmentation on my skin, which is the only reason I wear foundation and is something I have altered within my skin routine lately. This foundation did that perfectly!

Another great point about this finish, is although i would say it is medium coverage I will also point out that it feels amazingly light and that I hardly have anything on my skin which is lovely this time of year and especially with the weather we have had this week.
Summer is the time of year where we debate on doing a full face or even people that feel like they 'have to wear foundation' I'm sure will admit that they hate the feeling of it in this heat.
So if your happy to tone down the full coverage slightly then I would totally throw this one your way.

I find the finish silky and fresh looking, not completly matte but also not dewy and radiant, definitely in between if I have to be awkward! Haha
I would actually compare it to my L'Oréal True Match foundation as it starts of feeling like a liquid powder texture but develops on the skin to your natural skin type which doesn't make it either matte or dewy.
It stays true to its name of 24hour wear and comfort and it lasted from morning till night without having to touch up at all.
And I am testing these foundations using NO PRIMER and NO SETTING PRODUCTS.

I would highly recommend again to go to your nearest Lancôme counter and get your 7-day trial with their consultants to match you up with your perfect shade (you should have no trouble with a choice of 40!)

Tune back to SDiaries next week when I review The Body Shops BRAND NEW Matte Clay Foundation which doesn't even get released until July!!

Love Sophie xx

REVIEW: MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation

Its not often that a change foundations, maybe every season?
But as i did some MAC shopping last week, I saw a sign saying 'Free Foundation Samples Available' which I thought was on their new 'weightless' foundation.
The lady in MAC asked me which I wanted so I thought, ooo Ive not really tried MAC foundation apart from studio fix and face and body so I explained to her what I look for in a result of foundations.
I like a dewy finish with medium coverage.
She decided on Studio Sculpt and gave me 2 shades (as I've still got my tan from holiday) - NC25 and NC30

Ive been testing with the NC30 as I'm at my darkest stage now, so i can go down to NC25 when i use it all up.
(NC is used for WARM skin tones, NW is COOL skin tones)
The first day I used this I did think it was way to thick for what I'm used to… Not as thick as studio fix but still enough to make my skin feel a little bit wet for a few hours.
I applied this with a Real Techniques Stippling Brush from the back of my hand and buffed it over the skin.

If I'm honest, you do not need a lot at all, which I love. Maybe the size of a 1pence piece.
So I was amazed at how little you need for a full face, and let me tell you, my skin finish was FLAWLESS!
I don't wear much makeup now due to my skin being quite clear to what I am happy with, so I never find I need a full coverage but why not try it for a week!
I wanted to do a little review on what I thought to this as lots of people struggle with foundations.

I would highly recommend this foundation to people who was medium-full coverage, have normal/dry skin and like a dewy, healthy finish.
The smell was actually quite fresh and pleasant as I find some MAC ones are a bit plastic smelling (i know, weird! Maybe its just my nose)

Although the first day I said it felt a bit wet, I still pursued the week as I really wanted to see how I got on with it.
After the first 2 days, I really started to love it! I know I don't go for a heavy coverage normally but I was really getting used to this full face of makeup, and I NEVER touched up at all.
I am going to carry on using this foundation for a while, but I think as soon as summer comes back and it starts to warm up again, I will probably keep to aside as I hate a thick, sweaty face in summer haha.

So pop to your nearest MAC shop and give it a try with a 7-day sample.

I have the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24h to trial next, so stay tuned for this review on SDiaries next week.

Have you tried this foundation?
What do you think to it, or any other MAC foundation?


Love Sophie xx