August FOTM: Smashbox Camera Ready BB {Guest Post}

As it turns out, there are too many foundations to try and too little time! My friend Erin, who blogs over at The Law School Transplant, has been raving about the Smashbox Camera Ready BB all summer.  When I realized I wouldn't get to test it out as a Foundation of the Month, I asked her to do a guest post since it sounds like EXACTLY the kind of product I'm looking for (and, thankfully, she obliged).

Walk this way to check out Erin's (glowing) review of Smashbox Camera Ready BB!

July FOTM: Dr. Jart

My quest for the "perfect" foundation continues! In case you missed it, I'm searching for a great medium+ coverage foundation that will hold up in the Southern humidity - particularly on my oily chin - without breaking me out, but it can't be too fussy to apply & has to come in under $40.  I'm not asking for much, right?

Over the summer I've been focusing on BB & CC Creams and allowing them a layer of BareMinerals on top to achieve the medium- to full-coverage I'm after.

Dr. Jart Black Label Detox BB 

($33 for 1.5 fl. oz.)

Arguably, this is the BB that started it all.  Originated in Korea for patients post-cosmetic surgery, it was designed to nourish as well as conceal (the Beauty Mama says it's improved her skin over time, too!)  The Dr. Jart is free of parabens and sulfates, and is supposed to be great on acne-prone skin (that's me!).  I've been dying to try this one for ages (this was on my original FOTM list back in January)!

My Day 1 discovery says it all: I didn't need mineral foundation on top!!!

Ok, I'll back up.  Dr. Jart dispenses easily from a pump tube (or squeeze tube if you've been lucky enough to find the 0.66 oz size for $18).  It applies easily with fingers, provided that you do it in stages.  What do I mean by that? The cream begins to thicken up and set pretty quickly, so unlike the em CC that you could put a whole face-worth in your hand and apply like lotion, I usually dispensed and applied 2-3 smaller amounts.  Because of the way it sets, I usually had to dig out a blending sponge to clean things up around my eyebrows and hairline, but even then it was only a five-second detour. 

But once it sets, oh my goodness, how gorgeous! The slightly yellow undertones cancelled out all the redness and completely hid the spots on my skin.  It set without settling, leaving me looking poreless and wrinkle-free.  

Overall grade: A.  I mean, really, who could ask for more? I was sad to move on when August 1st came and I'm eager to stock my makeup bag with a full size bottle.  The only drawback I can imagine is that it only comes in a single shade.  Having a Snow White complexion pays off here, as I had no trouble matching, but if the product doesn't magically color match as well as it claims, it could be a problem for women with darker skin.

June FOTM: em CC

With summer's real arrival in June, I continued my ideal foundation quest with another CC cream.  My goal over the course of the year is to find my "perfect" foundation - one that is long wearing (particularly on my oily skin) without breaking me out, not too fussy to apply and under $40.  I'm not expecting a BB or CC alone to provide the medium- to full-coverage I was seeking so I'm pairing the BB and CC creams I'm testing with Bare Minerals over top.

June's Foundation: em cosmetics CC

($23 for 1.0 fl oz)

Since I loved the em cosmetics foundation I tested in February, I was quick to jump on the bandwagon when em came out with a CC cream.  This one is billed as a 3-in-1 that will "conceal, correct and protect" as well as moisturize.  

The consistency of the em CC is liquidy like a typical BB/CC or indeed a moisturizer.  It dispenses easily (a little too easily if you've stored the tube cap-down), applies easily with fingers, and provides a very natural look.

On the first day (with Bare Minerals) I noticed some shininess around my nose and chin by 11:00 a.m.  With the addition of my favorite MAC t-zone primer underneath and Stay Matte finishing powder, the look held up.

No problems at all washing off with the day was done.

Overall grade: B.  Why a B and not an A (and why the relatively bland review)? While the em CC met all my requirements, it was really no different (at least on my skin) from the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB that has become such a drugstore darling - for less than half the price.  Don't get me wrong, em has put together a solidly good CC.  But I've become spoiled by some of the other higher-end BB/CCs I've tested and, if I'm going to spend a little more, I expect great.

May FOTM: it Cosmetics CC+

May continued my BB/CC detour in the Foundation of the Month series.  I'm still looking for the same things in an "ideal" foundation - long wearing (particularly on my peskily oily chin) without breaking me out, not too fussy to apply, and under $40.  I wasn't expecting a BB or CC to provide the medium- to full-coverage I was seeking so my plan was to pair each BB/CC with Bare Minerals on top.

May's Foundation: it Cosmetics "Your Skin But Better CC+"

("YSBB CC+" - $38)

I was unfamiliar with the it Cosmetics line until makeup guru Tiffany D raved about their YSBB CC+ in December of last year.  What really caught my attention was that Tiffany agreed with the brand's product description that this CC provides full coverage in addition to brightening, anti-aging, pore minimizing, sun protecting and priming.  So YSBB CC+ was one of the first foundations on my to-test list when I began my FOTM project.

I'll go ahead and issue the spoiler alert now: the YSBB CC+ delivered as promised!

The pump tube made for easy dispensing (about 2 pumps to cover my face). Like the pur CC I reviewed last month, the YSBB CC+ comes out thicker than a typical moisturizer (and thicker than other BBs I've tried fleetingly), however it softens easily - so well, in fact that I applied it easily with my fingers all month long!

This product wears naturally, does not settle into lines or pores, and lasts the day without any additional primer.  While my initial plan was to wear it as a base for Bare Minerals, the coverage was so excellent (a solid medium coverage, comparable to the "Love Me For Me" foundation I tested - and loved - in February) and durable that I found myself skipping the Bare Minerals and just finishing with my favorite Rimmel Stay Matte powder.  And at the end of the day, it washed off easily with no additional steps.

Overall grade: A! Who could ask for more? While YSBB CC+ was at the upper end of my price range, the fact that it allowed me to skip moisturizer and primer and didn't need mineral makeup on top to create a business-ready look that lasted the day made it worth every penny.

April FOTM: pur CC

If you've been following along with my Foundation of the Month series, you already know that I'm diligently testing twelve foundations in 2014 in an attempt to find my "perfect" foundation.  My goals/parameters for an "ideal" foundation are that it be long-wearing (especially on my peskily-oily chin) but not break me out.  It must not be too fussy to apply.  And it must come in under $40.  

Prior to this year, I exclusively wore Bare Minerals makeup, which I loved when I started wearing it in my mid-20's, but as the years passed, I found myself wanting more coverage and longer wearability.  One of the first things I tried was putting tinted moisturizer under the Bare Minerals and liked the results - especially during the summer months when I like less coverage anyway.  I also found it wonderfully easy to apply the tinted moisturizer in place of regular moisturizer and top off with Bare Minerals.  All of this means that we are going to take a BB/CC detour during the warmer months.  The goals will still be the same, but with the understanding that I'll be judging the overall result based on the BB/CC plus Bare Minerals.

April's Foundation: purminerals CC Cream

Like March's FOTM, this product was not on my radar when I began making a list of foundations to test.  I went to Ulta in search of the itCosmetics CC (stay tuned, I'm currently testing it as May's FOTM!) and one of the consultants raved about the pur CC and I caved.

According to the purminerals website, this product is a "multitasking moisturizer, brightener, primer, concealer and SPF foundation."  It sounded like everything I was looking for to boost my Bare Minerals.

Sadly, the pur CC is better described as a light coverage foundation than a CC.  

While this CC dispenses easily from the pump tube, the consistency is very dense and cannot be applied well with fingers alone.  Once on, the initial look was lovely, but without an additional primer in the T-zone, it started fading after lunch, even with the mineral makeup on top.  

This product wins back some points for providing a natural look (no color match problems here), washing off easily, and being kind to my skin (no breakouts).

Overall Grade: C.  At $38, pur CC was already at the high end of my price range and ultimately not what I was looking for.  If you're looking for a light coverage foundation that you treat as foundation, this might be a winner for you.  But for me, looking for an easily-applied undercoat for mineral makeup, it was too fussy to be worth the price tag.

March FOTM: Rimmel Stay Matte

If you're new to my Foundation of the Month (FOTM) series, here's the scoop: I'm on a quest in 2014 to find my perfect foundation.  What do I consider "perfect"?  My goals/parameters for an "ideal" foundation are that it be long-wearing (especially on my peskily-oily chin) but not break me out.  It must not be too fussy to apply.  And it must come in under $40.  

March's Foundation: Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse

I originally planned to try out the much-adored Rimmel Match Perfection in March.  Then the Rimmel Stay Matte foundation hit the shelves to some initially good reviews (and a great sale at Walgreens), and since you already know that the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder is my go-to, I decided to give it a try, and who wouldn't with a description like this?

A feather light, oil free formula with an airy mousse texture that won’t feel heavy or greasy. Delivers all day shine control and blends flawlessly for a natural looking matte finish. Minimizes the appearance of pores. The weight is over – finally, shine has met its matte.

Before you get too excited, this one was a fail.  So much so that I abandoned it by mid-month and reverted to using to February's FOTM.

While the initial look is indeed beautifully matte, it did not hold up without a primer.  On a cold day (high of 42) in early March, I already had some slippage around my nose and on my chin by 1:00 in the afternoon. Additionally, the parts of my face that did stay matte took on a cakey appearance throughout the day as it settled into my lines (which are thankfully not numerous, as of yet - I'm 34 - but definitely noticeable).  This effect was even worse in subsequent days when I used a primer underneath.

Some other, more general, cons:
This foundation is a mousse texture and as such, does not apply well with a sponge.  It didn't apply all that great with a regular foundation brush, either.  I finally had the best results applying with a stippling makeup brush.

Because the packaging is a non-translucent tube, there is no way to gauge what shade you should buy.  This did not concern me initially.  Since I'm pretty consistently the "fairest of them all", I bought Fair Porcelain, It was much too pink and much too pale to be a usable match.  I had to use bronzer just to make it wearable for the day (bronzer is typically discretionary for me).  I went back and purchased the next shade up - Light Ivory - better but still a bit too light (and at a time of year that many are beginning the transition to a darker shade).  I finally found a match with my third try: Ivory.  But ultimately, for a foundation I couldn't try-before-buy, it was very inconvenient.

I found this foundation to be fussy in the way that it plays (or doesn't) with other products.  I typically apply concealer immediately following foundation without any kind of a waiting period and without any problems.  However, when I went to blend in my usual Maybelline Age Rewind concealer, the foundation underneath smeared completely off the under-eye area (I did not have this problem using the same concealer with the Revlon and em cosmetics foundations I tested in January and February).  I had to pair it with the Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer in order to get a wearable look.  (Ultimately, I'm not too sad to have been forced to try this new-to-me concealer - I've been very happy with the coverage, brightness, and longevity, and it looks like it might be a great bargain dupe for the legendary YSL Touche Eclat - but am still taking points off of the Stay Matte foundation for being fussy: I shouldn't have had to use a new concealer to make this foundation work for me.)

Overall grade: F. This foundation was too high-maintenance all around without the payoff of a great look.  It may work well for someone younger, completely devoid of fine lines, and with more time to baby it during application, but if you're time-crunched and over the age of 30, skip this one.

February FOTM: em cosmetics "love me for me"

Welcome to the second installment of FOTM: Foundation of the Month!  If you missed the launch to this series, you can catch up here.

The Reader's Digest version is that I am spending 2014 searching for my perfect foundation by intensively testing one foundation per month. My goals/parameters for an "ideal" foundation are that it be long-wearing (especially on my peskily oily chin) but not break me out.  It must not be too fussy to apply.  And it must come in under $40.

February's Foundation: em cosmetics "love me for me"

This foundation wasn't even on my radar when the year began.  I decided to take the leap after watching Michelle Phan's #NoFilter tutorial - her result was beautiful and, the foundation was FREE with purchase of the "love me for me" powder compact.  (Note: As of 3/1/2014 it appears that this deal is still in effect; if you add the powder compact to your cart, the foundation will appear at no cost in your cart; however, it also appears that the foundation is not available separately for purchase.)  As it currently stands, you can get BOTH the foundation and powder for $25 - an absolute bargain! 

No bones about it: I love this foundation! I've never worn a foundation before that looked so incredibly natural! It fulfilled all the marketing slogans I've ever read promising a product that is "you only better".  My office mates commented on the very first day how much they loved the look (we're all closet beauty junkies).

"love me for me" scores huge points for ease of use.  It comes in a mess-free pump container, and a little bit goes a very long way (a pump and a half easily gets the job done).  It applies and blends easily with pretty much every method you might use.   I treated myself to the pointed foundation brush from em cosmetics and utterly loved it.  I dutifully tested with my makeup sponge and fingers as well, and it was virtually impossible to mess it up.

I tested this foundation over unprimed skin, with the t-zone primed with MAC primer, and also experimented with a new L'Oreal primer/pore reducer (that broke me out - argh!).  I had the best results with the MAC primer.  I generally paired it with the matching powder but tested it with my typical Rimmel one with comparably flawless results. 

Overall the coverage is slightly less than I thought I wanted: in my mind, my long-wearing requirement seemed to assume full coverage as well.  However, I learned that it's not necessarily the case!  Love me for me is a beautiful medium-coverage foundation that stands up all day without needing extraordinary measures to remove it at bedtime.

My biggest trepidation - and the only way I figure someone could go wrong with this foundation - was choosing a shade. The em cosmetics website offers 24 photographs of real women's faces with the idea being that you chose the shade corresponding with the woman whose face best resembles yours.  I was very nervous not to order the lightest shade (I ended up with bare 04), but went with my gut and ended up with a winner.

Overall grade: A! With extra credit for giving me a fuller coverage powder to dust on over BB Cream on the weekend!

Oh, and this foundation officially replaces the Cover Girl Outlast as my fallback foundation as my FOTM experiment continues . . .

Introducing FOTM: Foundation of the Month

Until last year, I was a devout Bare Minerals user.  However, I reached a point where I found myself wanting a little more coverage and, after years off the foundation market, started the hunt for the perfect foundation.

The road was rocky to say the least.  I fell in love with the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even-Finish foundation, but I couldn't maintain the $48 price tag on a consistent basis.

I bought, tried, kept some, tossed several YouTube-recommended drugstore foundations, and at some point it dawned on my OCD self that I was not being very organized about my experimenting.  Different days can be different, different primers, different finishing powders can all impact the end result.  So to be fair to each, I thought I would spend 2014 really trying out 12 well-researched foundations for a month apiece.

I am allowing a lifeline - if I truly discovered I hated one of the foundations, or had a rushed morning where I didn't want to pay as close attention to application, I could default to the Cover Girl Outlast Stay Fabulous that was the unofficial "winner" of my very disorganized 2013 testing.

My goals/parameters for an "ideal" foundation are that it be long-wearing (especially on my peskily oily chin) but not break out my oily skin.  It must not be too fussy to apply.  And it must come in under $40.

January's Foundation: Revlon ColorStay

I wore this the first day with no primer and was already impressed.  The second day, I wore it with MAC primer over my t-zone, and was really impressed.  I played around with application throughout the month and had the best results with a beauty sponge (I use the Sonia Kashuk one from Target).  I also played around with different finishing powders and had the best results with my Rimmel Stay Matte powder.

I had one or two days where it oxidized in a random spot, but overall the coverage and color were consistent and, most importantly, it lasted!  I found myself checking the mirror less frequently as I dashed out the door to lunch or into a client meeting.  Coverage like that for a $9.99 price tag can't be beat (I got mine at Target)!  

Overall, I only had two major gripes:

First, the difficulty in removing this foundation is a bit hard to get past. The first day I used my usual Michael Todd True Organics face wash on my Clarisonic, and it very nearly killed that brush.  Moreover, I had to use several rounds of toner to finish the job.  Thereafter, I prewashed with LUSH Fresh Farmacy and followed with my MTTO cleanser (with Clarisonic) and a quick swipe of toner.  In the long run, no breakouts.  However, I found myself dreading my evening routine as the month wore on and even opted to wear my fallback foundation a few days at the office when I didn't have as many client meetings.  On the day it snowed in ATL and it took Daddy M 10.5 hours to get home (after walking the last 8 miles!), I completely forgot to wash by the time we fell into bed, and paid for it with a few spots the next day.

Second, the packaging.  This foundation comes in a traditional glass bottle that you have to tip out onto your finger.  I had many a day where I took too much or two little.  I guess I've gotten spoiled by pumps and tubes, and the return to the mess and imprecision of the bottle was unwelcome.

I would definitely purchase this foundation again, but in the future I expect I will use it on days when I know I need my look to last longer or have a special event.

Overall grade: B+