Why the absence?

Hello everyone,

I apologise for the lack of blogging in the recent month.  Where can I begin?

Life has been so hectic; would you believe me if I told you I’m waking up a seven and coming home at ten in the evening?  Well believe you me, that’s life at the moment and I’m absolutely exhausted.  I’m not sure ‘exhausted’ does my situation much justice but I think it will do.  I crave and wish to blog and write more but unfortunately I barely have time to eat or sleep!  I can’t wait to come back because  while I have been away I have been thinking about a lot of products and trying to keep up with everyone’s posts.  so I want to give a quick update as to how things are going with me!

Skin:  dry, irritated, bad – stress never helps me out!

Diet:  No good, no time to think about diet.  Realised I’ve put on weight so trying to cut down on the carbs but finding it touch when I’m starving.  Why are sandwiches everywhere?!  And I wish salads were more practical to eat!

Recent buys: nothing much, the lack of money and time for shopping means I have nothing much new.

What I’m loving:  Body Shop’s Vitamin E toner, still loving TBS Carrot Creme, Botanics Face Soothing Cleanser, Elite Intensity Eyeliner, Revlon Double Twist Mascara, Make up forever HD Foundation

Hair situation: not good

Nails: worse

 

So overall, life is a bit of a shambles at the moment.  I’m in the midst of deciding things that will affect me for the rest of my life.  At the same time I’m coming out of a really turbulent relationship so it’s all a bit difficult.  So bear with me and hopefully once I get myself back on track with things we can keep this ball rolling.  In the mean time I hope you guys hang around and wish me the best of luck!  Fighting~!

Cherry x

Review: Max Factor’s Second Skin Foundation (Creamy Ivory)

The Low Down
Maxfactor has always been a personal favourite drugstore brand of mine when it comes to foundations.  I love a lot of their formulas but I am trying not to be biased when it comes to this review.  I’ve read a few reviews on this product and so far it doesn’t seem favourable.
The product is seems to be marketed towards those who want seamless and flawless foundation without wanting it to be too cakey or thick.  The coverage is medium-full and gives a dewy and healthy glow to the skin. 

The product comes in a 30ml, pump nozzle, glass-like bottle.  It pumps out a decent amount of foundation and my nozzle has not yet been blocked.  I have been using this product for approximately a month or so now and it’s quickly become one of my go-to foundations.  There seems to be a small range of 5 shades for Second Skin which I think is an almighty shame!  Why brands never cater for all skin colours is above me; I’m lucky enough to usually have a shade in all ranges but I' feel particularly upset for women of darker skin, it’s rather infuriating actually!

And what do they claim?
“Love the look of foundation but hate the tell tale tidemark? Now you can create a finish so flawless it's virtually undetectable even to the professionals. Now Second Skin uses clever multi-tonal pigment technology to smooth over and blend flawlessly into your own natural complexion in seconds. No lines, no traces and perfect in any light; so no-one will ever know it's not all you...
Second Skin acts as a base from which to create a perfect natural look”

- www.maxfactor.co.uk

How did it work for Cherry?
I have been using this product at a constant since buying it. It gives such a good base to work with and what I do like the most is how easy it is to blend out and make natural to your skin tone.  The coverage is very decent and when layered under the eyes it covers up dark circles very well for the day time.  I think the consistency is perfect; neither too runny nor thick. 

It’s hard to suggest an opinion for the longevity of a liquid foundation as I usually top it off with other products.  Its usually the powder on top which allows a foundation base to stay on the face.  I use this in conjunction with a few different powders and all have been decent in terms of ‘staying put’ throughout the day.  I like that it doesn’t slide off of the face and unless I sweat and begin rubbing my face, this baby keeps on quite well.  Despite applying a matte powder on top, often the dewiness glows through on the surface and therefore can even make a matte face look natural.

How can you use this product?
I’ve used this product with all different types of tools and applied it in many different ways.  My favourite way to use this product is actually by my fingers as it just melts into the skin and is totally fuss free.  However if I were to apply this to my Mum’s face I would use a foundation brush.

How much will it cost me?
This product will cost you a hefty £13.99 in Boots.  Of course this is no where near as expensive as foundations from brands such as Bobbi Brown or MAC but it is quite highly priced for a drugstore foundation.  Therefore I would only recommend you buy this if you are tired of your current foundation and am ready to spend a few extra quid on something new.  Something else important is to really test out the colours – you do not want to be paying up to £14.00 and find its the wrong shade like I did!   

Cherry’s Final Verdict
Overall I think this is an extremely decent product; on the one hand it gives you a natural look and on the other is conceals dirt circles and redness.  It’s very close to a perfect foundation for me.  The thing I really have to complain is a)the price, but I would pay it again if need by and b)the heavy-weight bottle.  The foundation itself is a good happy medium for all the things I want in a foundation.  I find that while the shade ‘warm almond’ is definitely too dark for my skin, I always have to warm up ‘creamy ivory’ with some bronzer because it does get quite pale.  As we’re moving closer to spring my face will naturally darken through time and I suppose I will begin mixing both shades together to try and create something for spring. 

So overall I give you product a 4.5/5!

Review: Origin’s Multi-Grain Make-up w/SPF 14

The Low Down 
Having purchased this item early January, I’ve had a good month or so to really play around with this product and get to grips on what it is and how to use it.  This was a prompted purchase by a subscriber as she had heard promising things about this product and wanted my opinion.  I personally had not had of this product before and was eager and intrigued once I read about it! 

Origins Multi-grain make up - Headband is NOT included

I’m not 100% familiar with Origins as a brand because I haven’t brought many products of theirs before but I have heard many good things.  Origin’s mission is to use natural ingredients in their products that work scientifically and what I do like about their products is that they use ingredients that are not typically used and from what I have seen, their portfolio of products are quite impressive.  So I wasn’t surprised when someone told me about a make-up that is whole grain; doesn’t everything come whole-grain nowadays? 

Origins Multi-Grain make up is actually a loose powder and is applied to the face.  It’s “fortified with Oats, Vitamins and Minerals and contains a sun protection of SPF14.  It’s a mineral make up that contains many ‘wholesome’ ingredients in there such as barley and tapioca.  So alike your breakfast its supposed to be a good start for your skin.  So there is “organic Oatmeal (nature’s famed skin soother); Soy (a source of radiance); Tapioca and Rice Flour (to smooth and refine); plus Barley, Wheat Germ, Pomegranate, Goji Berry, Vitamins C and E and all-natural sunscreens (to fight skin-aging)”.  Also they go on to say that “The soft, finely-milled grains build and blend easily from sheer to full coverage. Won’t clog pores, cake or dry-out. Skin glows with good health”. 

Sound interesting so far?  I thought so.

Each jar contains 7g of product in there and while that sounds ABSOLUTELY miniscule, it’s not.  I think the reason is is because it is so lightweight.  The powder is very finely milled and soft. 

And what do they claim?
If you have a look on their website this is what they say:
√ 91% agreed skin looked naturally radiant
√ 78% saw an improvement in their skin
And so you want to know the benefits of using Origin’s Multi-Grain make-up


• Lightweight, buildable coverage minimises the look of redness, discolouration and dark spots for a natural, flawless finish
• SPF 14 protects skin from the sun and UV damage
• Fortified with wholesome ingredients which are gentle to even the most sensitive skin and won’t clog pores
Oil-free. Talc-free. Fragrance-free.

How did it work for Cherry?
I’ve been using this product everyday since I purchased it and have really liked it.  First of all I would like to say that this I’ve found this to be more of a sheer to medium coverage.  Despite claiming to be buildable, it’s almost impossible to achieve full coverage with just the make up itself.  Therefore I use this product in conjunction with a liquid/mousse/solid foundation underneath.  Due to the fact that its a loose powder, there are also different ways in which you can apply this.  In a nutshell, you can apply this using almost anything. Tools such as big, fluffy powder brushes with give you a sheer coverage where as dense, flat top kabuki brushes or powder puffs will give you a more medium coverage.  I find between a brush and a puff, the latter will give you a fuller coverage. 
So is it lightweight?  Yes, it’s extremely easy to blend ito the skin.  It does a good job of creating a flawless face and does help with a lot of discoloration that my foundation has not managed to hide. It’s very good at uplifting the face and making it brighter and more radiant.  What I do like it the most is that it does not clog up the pores on my nose and blends in well my skin colour. 

What I have noticed, however, is that over time the powder itself has become a lot chunkier.  While it doesn’t really affect the application too much, it does make me wonder what on earth I did to make it like that.  It’s also important to note that the colour of the powder in the jar will look darker than you expected powder colour for your skin tone.  Don’t ask me why but this is the case. What the product can do (with the product on top of Maxfactor’s Second Skin Foundation)

How can you use this product?
Origins have their own instructions on how to use it:
“HOW TO USE: Pour small amount into lid. Dip brush in and tap to remove excess. Apply 2-3 layers in a circular motion. Repeat until desired coverage is achieved”.
This is how I do it:
I tip a small amount into the lid and then use whatever tool I am to stipple into the product.  I then either press or buff into my face concentrating first into the areas that need most coverage i.e around the nose, mouth and eyes.  I work outwards and try not to over buff as this thins out the coverage for me.  If this is what you want, buff away!  TIp: for an even higher coverage, try patting ELF’s HD powder on top – your face will be seamless. 
How much will it cost me?
This product will cost you £20 when bought in stores.  I’ve found it difficult to find a cheaper option online and it looks about the same everywhere.  Is £20 worth 7g of make-up?  Well I have a long way to go it seems and I’ve been using it for over a month or so now.  It looks like I could push it another two to three months so it isn’t bad.  You do get what you pay for; it’s a fantastic product.
Cherry’s Final Verdict
I’m struggling to find bad points about this product.  The only factors I can think of is that it’s fairly expensive depending on your budget but is similar to the likes of MAC, Benefit or even Bobbi Brown.  There doesn’t seem to be much product but it’s has last me a long time and will and can go on further.  The only possible complaint is that its a loose powder in a jar and with all of these types of products I find it hard to take it on the go with me as it can get everywhere!  But is that really something to complain about?  Probably not.
A lot of people say that after using this product it made their skin radiant; it’s true that when on the skin your face does look healthier and very soft but the product itself hasn’t been particularly beneficial to my skin. It’s remained the same but is happy that it does not get clogged.  It also has a matte effect but if like me you have a greasy t-zone or skin, you will have to touch up in a few hours. 
I’ve never really been a big fan of loose powders but this is probably my favourite one.   My beloved MAC MSF has been forgotten for a bit and this has been in the forefront of my ‘go-to’ products.
So yes I would repurchase this if need be but I would like something that stays put for just a little bit longer.  It may be my application of it but I’ve done it in so many different ways its hard to believe.  This isn’t something that deters me from buying it again it’s just that I strive for perfection.  This?  I give it a whopping 4.5/5!
PS.  My colour is in Light.