Almay Age Essentials Makeup SPF 15 in ‘140 Light/Medium Warm’
This latest foundation from Almay contains a built-in moisturiser, as well a combination of collagen, hyaluronic acid and peptides. The purpose of adding these skincare ingredients is to provide a solution for busy women who are looking to maximise what their foundation can do for them ie offer skincare benefits at the same time. The combination of ingredients contained in this foundation promises to smooth the skin, relax expression lines, boost hydration and restore the skin’s luminosity.
This reminds me a lot of the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation, a real favourite of both mine and Jules’. They are similar in that they tick all of the right boxes for me: glowy finish, provide good coverage, work well with other products, and are long wearing. If you have oily/combination skin, you may need to powder where necessary as I think this might be a little bit too glowy for you, but if you’ve got dry skin, look no further. The last time I wore it, Jules even stroked my face while simultaneously whispering “Your skin…”. Sounds creepy, but it was amazing (for me), and a real testament to how good this foundation is.
One thing to note is that the foundation looks darker in the bottle than it does on the skin. I was convinced that the shade we got sent was going to be too dark for me, but it was actually spot on. If you scroll to the end of this post, I’ve popped in a picture of me wearing the foundation, concealer and brow pencil mentioned in this post, so you can see them all in action.
Retails for R269.00
Almay Age Essentials Concealer SPF20 in ‘200’
The Age Essentials Concealer was created to combat the first signs of aging that typically appear around the eyes. As with its foundation counterpart, it’s infused with collagen, hyaluronic acid, and peptides to hydrate the under-eye area and leave it looking perfected.
I don’t have the same strong feelings for the concealer as I do for the foundation, but it does a good enough job. The skin around my eyes is a bit crepey (hi, age) so I do find that I need something a bit more moisturising to stop the area from looking dry. If I apply a generous layer of eye cream immediately prior to application, it tends to work better for me. I have also been using it on blemishes and it works well – I have actually popped it into my handbag because the stick packaging makes it ideal for quick touch-ups on the go.
Retails for R175.00
Avène PhysioLift Eye Cream
This eye cream forms part of the new PhysioLift range, which is designed to tighten and firm the skin. The range consists of a day cream, a night cream, this eye cream and a targeted wrinkle treatment. Out of all of the products in the range, this one really stood out for me – the day and night creams are nice, but not moisturising enough for me, and because I get Botox regularly, there isn’t much for the wrinkle treatment to do, unfortunately!
This eye cream contains patch technology which adheres to the eye area during the night to ensure the continuous delivery of ingredients, all of which sound very impressive:
- Ascofilline, a moisturizing agent found in brown algae. This ingredient supports collagen in the skin and reduces the appearance of pronounced wrinkles;
- HAMO (the optimal molecular weight of Hyaluronic Acid) to penetrate into the skin to visibly plump and firm the skin;
- Retinaldehyde to smooth away the appearance of wrinkles and brighten the skin;
- Dextran Sulfate to visibly reduces dark circles and puffiness; and
- Avène Thermal Spring Water to soothe, soften and calm the skin.
I’ve tried using this in the morning, but I found that my under eye concealer just didn’t sit properly on top of it, and the more I tried to blend, the more patchy it became. For this reason, I have been using it in the evenings only, and it’s become a staple in my routine. The formulation is rich, creamy and hydrating, and it feels incredibly comforting on the skin. I squeeze out one pump of the product, distribute it evenly under each eye, and then gently pat it in with my ring fingers. It’s a joy to use – it feels like a real treat and my skin just drinks it up.
I’ve only been using it for a relatively short amount of time, but I do feel like my under eye area is slowly starting to look less crepey (I’ve managed to use that word twice in one post – a new personal best), and I can’t ask for more than that.
Retails for R379.95
NYX Sculpt & Highlight Brow Contour in ‘Medium Beige/Ash Brown’
Another week, another NYX brow product! Jules and I popped into Canal Walk recently and Clicks had stock of basically everything (joyous day), so it was my duty to take advantage. And take advantage, I did!
In short, this brow pencil is the business. I care not for the highlighting portion, but the brow pencil itself is excellent. The colour match is perfect for me (see picture below) and the consistency is great too – it adheres to the skin really well and stays put, so you won’t have to worry about it fading away during the day. I would have preferred it if they had popped a spoolie on the other end instead of a highlighter, but I guess you can’t win ’em all!
It comes in a variety of 8 shades, however I could only find three of 3 on the shelves. Keep your eyes peeled and you just might hit the jackpot!
Retails for R149.95
And here’s a shot of me posing awkwardly in my bedroom so that you can see what the products look like on my face:
