I finished quite a few skincare products last month.
Vichy Normaderm Anti-Acne Purifying Gel Cleanser* – When I first started using this, I enjoyed it. I think I was using it too often for my skin because it started making my face feel dry from the salicylic acid. I think if I used it weekly instead of every other day, it would’ve been okay. I think I prefer to use a moisturizer or spot treatment with salicylic acid instead of a cleanser.
Repurchase? No.
Cerave Moisturizing Cream for Normal to Dry Skin – I got a Costco pack that came with a large tub and the tube. So I use the tub for my body, and had the tube beside my desk to keep my hands moisturized throughout the day. They have been smooth and soft ever since I started using the cream daily.
Repurchase? Yes.
Tarte Cosmetics Drink of H₂0 Hydrating Boost Moisturizer – My friend had a code to try the FabFitFun starter box, so I jumped at the chance to try. This moisturizer was actually thicker than I thought it’d be. I thought it’d be more of a gel cream, but it’s thicker than others I’ve used. Gel creams that I’ve used would glide onto my skin easily, but this one was more like a cream moisturizer.
Repurchase?I didn’t mind it, but I probably wouldn’t get it again.
The Ordinary 100% Organic Virgin Chia Seed Oil – I started using this a few months ago, but it had a smell to it that I wasn’t 100% sure about. I didn’t know if it had gone bad or if that’s how it smells normally. Even if it hadn’t gone bad, I wasn’t crazy about the smell. So instead of using it on my face, I started using it on my feet at night. Unfortunately, I can’t say how it worked on my face, but I think I prefer other facial oils I’ve tried anyway.
Repurchase? No.
SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense Potent Treatment for Aging Skin* – I can’t seem to find this on their website, I think they’ve renamed it to “Blemish + Age Defense Salicylic Acid ACne Treatment for Aging Skin Prone to Breakouts.” I did notice that my skin looked better while using this and it didn’t make my skin too dry or too oily. Since my skin is already dry, I made sure to use a hydrating serum with it and I only used it on my problem areas instead of using on my whole face (to save product).
Repurchase? While this did work for me, it’s quite expensive.
Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss in 040 Tulip Spring* – This had a nice berry tint to it, but I’m not crazy about the passionfruit scent/taste. I mostly used this just to finish it.
NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo* (read my review)- At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of the scent since it’s a bit sweet, but it grew on me. I liked the shampoo and it did make my hair shine. The bottles are interesting and I like that they sell refills in bags.
Repurchase? Maybe. I would consider trying one of the others.
Garnier Fructis Clean & Fresh Fortifying Shampoo + Grapefruit – I liked the clean scent of this one. I don’t really do anything to my hair, so it’s not damaged or anything. So I mostly just buy shampoos that are on sale.
Repurchase? Maybe.
The Ordinary 100% Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil – I love facial oils for my dry skin, but this one seemed to break me out. I’ve tried a rosehip seed oil from Good Molecules and it didn’t break me out. Even though it broke me out, it did seem to keep my face moisturized.
Repurchase? No.
Goli Nutrition Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies* – I was sent these gummies to try. I was expecting the texture to be like gummy candies, but it wasn’t like that. I can’t even think of anything that has a similar texture when you bite into the gummy. I don’t think I tried these long enough for them to help if they even do help digestion and other things.
Repurchase? No.
Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion – I liked that it didn’t have a scent. I would use it as a toner as my first layer of skincare after cleansing. It’s nice for the colder months where I need a little more hydration. I’ve tried other products that I prefer more, so I probably wouldn’t repurchase this specific one. I might look into other products from the brand though.
Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.
Just a heads up that there are quite a few cult fave foundations that I don’t love as much as everyone else. There are more foundations that I’ve tried samples of, but 1) this post would be way too long and 2) I don’t have a full opinion on them since I only used them a handful of times. This post will only include liquids/creams/cushions/sticks. I will include powder foundations in my Powder Hits & Misses post since I haven’t tried as many. It will also only include foundations that are still available. I’m going to keep my little reviews as short as I can especially if I have a full review of the foundation. I will link them so you can read them if you’d like.
In no particular order, here are my Hits, Likes and Misses:
Hits
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick (read my review) – This might be my favourite stick foundation I’ve tried to date. I even had the wrong shade. It was perfect for a girls trip. I packed this to use as foundation/concealer. This is one of my favourite Bobbi Brown items (Bobbi Brown Hits & Misses). I bought it at the MAC Warehouse Sale and would definitely pay full price for it.
Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick SPF21 – This would be my 2nd favourite stick foundation.
Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation (read my review) – Love this. Even though it’s labelled as a foundation, it’s more like a tinted moisturizer. If only they had more shades available (I’m in between shades).
Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation – I need to find the right shade because the one I was using is too pink for me.
Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer – I feel like this has a little more coverage than what I’d consider a tinted moisturizer. It’s a great product though.
Likes
Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Luminizing Foundation – Beautiful foundation and one of the closest matches I’ve ever had. It does have fragrance in it and oddly enough, it doesn’t smell that great. I would rather try the self-refreshing one that doesn’t have any fragrance in it.
Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation (read my review) – While this was a beautiful foundation, it just didn’t last long on me. I don’t know if the primers I tried were just too slippy or something. It looked beautiful on the skin, but I just couldn’t find the right shade match. It was either too pink or too orange.
Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance SPF50* (read my review) – Nice cushion foundation, but I’m between shades.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation – Can’t find a good shade match, but this is a nice foundation.
Maybelline Fit Me Hydrate + Smooth Foundation (read my review) – I wish this had a pump. I’m also not crazy about the scent of this. Not my fave foundation.
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick (read my review) – I liked it, but didn’t love this enough. It was just too full coverage for me (even when I used a very thin layer).
Hera Black Cushion Foundation – My sister got this for me in Korea. I just picked a shade that I thought would be okay based on pictures. Even though I’m quite light, the shade is too light for me. Plus, this is very fragranced (like a lot of K-Beauty products). The foundation itself is nice, but the fragrance is just too much for me. Plus, it’s hard for me to get in Canada. If it is available, it’s more than I’m willing to spend. So, I’d rather spend the money on something else.
The Ordinary Serum Foundation (read my review) – not my fave, but not my least fave.
The Body Shop All-in-One BB Cream (read my review) – At the time I wrote the review for this, I really enjoyed it. Since then, I’ve tried other products I prefer more.
Perricone MD No Foundation Serum Broad Spectrum SPF30 (read my review) – Nice foundation that looks natural and provides sheer coverage.
Misses
For the foundation misses, there are ones that either just didn’t impress me much, didn’t provide enough coverage or had too much coverage.
Almay Clear Complexion Make Myself Clear Makeup* – I don’t really want makeup that has salicylic acid.
NYX Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil* (read my review) – not my shade and coverage was too light for me.
Bali Body BB Cream (read my review) – This provided no coverage whatsoever.
NYX HD Studio Photogenic Foundation – Broke me out and smelled like plastic.
Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation and Concealer – Was way too thick for me and shade range wasn’t great.
Garnier BB Cream – Shade range is terrible and it made my eyes water. Too much alcohol in it??
Nars Velvet Matte Foundation Stick – I bought this at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale and it just didn’t wow me. It sounds kind of mean, but there’s a reason that this is rarely on lists of Fave Stick Foundations.
Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation – Washed off easily with water and looked patchy on dry spots. What would happen if I wore this when it’s raining or went on a Maid of the Mist boat tour??
Nude by Nature Luminous Sheer Liquid Foundation* (read my review) – Not enough coverage.
Nude by Nature BB Cream* (read my review) – Not enough coverage.
Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation – Shade was wrong, too matte for me. I know they came out with a dewy version, but I also didn’t like the smell or the fact that it used a spatula instead of a pump.
The following foundations are ones I can’t give a definitive opinion on:
Becca Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation – I think I had the wrong shade and also knew nothing about applying it. I ended up throwing this out despite not using it very often.
Holika Holika Gudetama Photo Ready Cushion Foundation – wrong shade. Wasn’t my fave cushion though.
Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation – This was one of the first liquid foundations from the drugstore that I bought. It smells like chemicals, but I remember it being nice (I had the wrong shade though).
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation – I can’t say if I like or hate this because I bought the wrong shade. I bought this before I knew what I wanted in a foundation. I never fully tested it out. I would prefer a foundation that has a pump (instead of buying one separately and NARS has nice foundations that come with a pump).
To Try
Bite Changemaker Micellar Foundation
L’Oréal Infallible 24Hr Freshwear Foundation
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer
Make Up For Ever Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation
Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation
What are your fave foundations?
Love,
Products marked with (*) were sent to me for review.
Like every other beauty enthusiast, I wanted to try The Ordinary’s Foundation, but I waited a bit to read reviews and see which one I’d prefer: Coverage or Serum.Both foundations come in 21 shades. The Serum Foundation is described as a “Lightweight Pigment Suspension System with Moderate Coverage” while the Coverage Foundation is described as a “High-Spreadability Pigment Suspension System with High Coverage.” The foundations come in a plastic bottle with a pump. The pump is matte black which is kind of harder to keep clean than non-matte pumps, but who can complain when it’s less than $10 for the foundation. They also have a glass dropper you can purchase separately if you prefer.
After swatching both, I decided on the Serum Foundation because it’s more lightweight and not as thick. I prefer lightweight foundations especially since my face has been relatively clear recently. I used to prefer medium to full coverage matte foundations, but I think now I prefer sheer to medium coverage with a natural or radiant finish.
Serum Foundation in 2.0N – I decided to get the shade 2.0 N (Light Medium Neutral). Usually for foundations that have different shades for each undertone, I’m either yellow or neutral. I think that neutral suits me better because yellow can sometimes be a bit too yellow. They were sold out of 2.0 N at Hudson’s Bay (they had plenty of stock at the Queen Street location, but, of course they’re sold out of my shade…just my luck). My sister was able to pick it up at the Abnormal Beauty Company store downtown.
Serum Foundations are lightweight medium-coverage formulations available in a comprehensive shade range across 21 shades. These foundations offer moderate coverage that looks natural with a very lightweight serum feel. They are very low in viscosity and are dispensed with the supplied pump.
I apply the foundation after using a sponge or my fingers since it’s so liquid. If you read my First Impressions Review on the Buffet serum, you saw that I applied this on top of the Buffet and it started to pill when I used my fingers. So, if you use Buffet, keep that in mind when applying this foundation- it didn’t pill when I used a sponge.
Wearability
To test the foundation, I didn’t powder my t-zone to see how well it held up. It set to a nice, smooth finish. It started breaking up and getting shiny after the 2nd hour on my chin and around and on my nose. My skin isn’t very oily, so if you do have oily skin, you should definitely powder your t-zone.
Shade 2.0N
Number and Letter Meanings for the Shades
The shades range from very fair to deep: very fair to light (1.0-1.2), light medium to medium (2.0-2.1), medium dark to deep (3.0-3.3). Each shade is followed by a letter to indicate the undertone: Neutral (N), Pink (P), Yellow (Y), Red (R). They also have three shades that have a second letter: Silver (S) indicates silver highlights, and Gold (G) indicates gold highlights. For example NS listed below is Neutral undertones with Silver highlights and YG is Yellow undertones with Gold highlights. The S and G shades “use natural-looking and exceptionally fine dispersions of metallic effect pigments for added highlight,” and the description on The Ordinary’s website says they plan to “introduce individual enhancers and highlighters in the near future to customize all shades.”
Shade Range
N
P
Y
R
NS
YG
1.0 Very Fair
x
x
x
1.1 Fair
x
x
1.2 Light
x
x
x
x
2.0 Light Medium
x
x
x
2.1 Medium
x
x
3.0 Medium Dark
x
x
3.1 Dark
x
x
3.2 Deep
x
x
3.3 Very Deep
x
RATING: 4/5
I love that it comes in a pump and it’s super affordable. It covered up redness around my nose and chin really well. I think I would prefer a foundation that gives a more luminous finish, but I can always add something to it to give it a pop (check out my beauty hack using the white/silver ‘concealer’ from the Coastal Scents Eclipse Palette). You definitely can’t go wrong with this foundation’s price.
As you all know, the Canadian brand, The Ordinary, has become really popular over the last year for it’s amazing skincare at even better prices. My sister bought me the ‘Buffet’ because it’s usually sold out so she grabbed it when she got the chance. I had no idea which ones to try, but I do want to try the Salicylic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid when I get a chance. She also bought me the Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA which I will write a first impressions once I’ve tried it out.
The Ordinary is known for being super affordable and the fact that their products don’t add any fillers or misleading ingredients to their skincare.
“Buffet” Multi-Technology Peptide Serum comes in a 30 mL glass bottle with a dropper. Originally I was wondering what was the best way to apply it: drop onto my hands and then pat it onto my face? Once I opened it, I realized it was thicker than I thought. It has the viscosity of maple syrup (Canadian, not regular syrup like Mrs. Butterworth’s). So, I use the dropper to put three small drops on my forehead and cheeks (or one big drop on my forehead).
The Ordinary’s website has a product description that has a whole lot of words I don’t understand and I’m sure a lot of people are on the same boat. So, I chose to go with the simple description on the Sephora website:
Apply to the entire face in the AM and PM after cleaning.
A multi-peptide serum with syn-ake, matrixyl synthe-6, matrixyl 3000, argirelox, hyaluronic acid, amino acids and bio-derivatives to target multiple signs of aging.
RATING: 3/5
Since I have acne prone skin, I prefer using serums and skincare that aren’t too thick. The more liquid the better for me or my skin gets a reaction. This is a good consistency for me and so far it hasn’t caused any reactions. I’ve been using this for about two weeks now- day and night. My face feels softer from using this and usually around my nose is dry, but since I’ve started using this, it hasn’t been dry. The one thing I don’t love about this is that it feels a bit tacky after applying and I don’t love the smell (it’s almost like a wet smell- like if you left out a wet towel for too long). It’s great for the price and the glass bottle will be useful once I’m done.
AM– I apply it after waking up and washing my face with my morning cleanser.
PM– I apply it after my shower. Usually I shower a few hours before bed, so it gives the serum time to absorb into my skin and then it’s not too tacky when I go to bed.
I tried using this under The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation (read my First Impressions Review). I applied the Buffet serum, then used one of my smoothing primers and applied the foundation with my fingers. The serum started to pill (when it balls up and resembles dry skin peeling off). I know it was the serum because I’ve used the foundation and the primer before and they’ve never pilled. The serum didn’t pill when I used a sponge to apply my foundation. Obviously, this makes sense since you dab/tap your face with a sponge, but you rub foundation in when you use your fingers. I prefer that I have no chance of pilling when applying my foundation, so I prefer to use the Buffet on days where I’m not wearing makeup or just for night time.
Have you tried products from The Ordinary? What are your faves?
Serum Foundation in 2.0N – I decided to get the shade 2.0 N (Light Medium Neutral). Usually for foundations that have different shades for each undertone, I’m either yellow or neutral. I think that neutral suits me better because yellow can sometimes be a bit too yellow. They were sold out of 2.0 N at Hudson’s Bay (they had plenty of stock at the Queen Street location, but, of course they’re sold out of my shade…just my luck). My sister was able to pick it up at the Abnormal Beauty Company store downtown.
The Ordinary’s website has a product description that has a whole lot of words I don’t understand and I’m sure a lot of people are on the same boat. So, I chose to go with the simple description on the Sephora website: