Bourjois Bronzing Primer (Chanel Dupe?)

Everyone went just a tiny bit nuts when the Bourjois Bronzing Primer hit the stands in Boots and Superdrug. Seeing as Bourjois is owned by Chanel, I think everyone expected it to be the drugstore dupe for the Bronze Universial that is ever so hyped up in the blogging world. 

I haven't personally tried the Chanel cream bronzer (the price scares me too much)  but I have given the Bourjois Bronzing Primer a good try and wanted to bring you my thoughts on it. 

It's okay and that's probably the best thing I can say about it. It's not great or life changing but it's not terrible. I was told that it was the same formula and the Flower Perfection Primer (rave review here) but it's not. It has a much more mousse-y texture (like Dream Matte Mousse) and doesn't feel as silky smooth on the skin. 

It does mattify, and add a hint of colour when used as a primer but I really don't see any different in "bronzing" when I use this. The foundation or bb cream just coveres the little tint this gives you so the colour is sort of pointless if you want a primer. I'd tried the BB Bronzing Cream if you want something to give you a more bronzed look. 

I think this works great as a cream/mousse bronzer. I use it with a damp beauty blender dupe or RT Miracle Complexion Sponge and push it into the skin where I would bronzer or contour. It isn't as intense as a bronzer or contouring powder but it does give you a hit of colour and helps me look less like a ghost without any face shape.  It can be used with a brush or your finger but I find it gives you to much colour/product and it starts to look very orange and muddy. 

Overall, I wouldn't repurchase this because it is a bit to orange for my skin tone and it doesn't work that great as a primer. I think I'll stick to their chocolate bronzer (review here) for bronzing and the Flower Primer for a primer. 

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Top 5 Foundations for Dry, Pale Skin: Estee Lauder, MUA and more

 
Foundation is something that is quite selective to the individual. Everyone has their own skin type and look for different things in the foundation, for me I look for something dewy or glowy and something that covers redness really well. I do get hormonal breakouts on occasion so decent coverage over those is a bonus, but concealer is my best friend then so it's not a requirement. 


So, with that in mind, today I'm bringing you a top 5 list of my favourite foundation for my dry skin. And, just before I start I am going to apologize for the terrible picture! 



MUA Undress Your Skin in Porcelain
This is the best inexpensive foundation for pale skin. The shade is really light (possibly the lightest I've found in the drugstore) and it offers a light but slightly buildable coverage. I looks really natural on the skin, and is a total bargain at only £5 a tube. You can purchase here. 

B Radiant Illuminating Foundation in LinenI love the B range from Superdurg. They offer a nice range of products, and the ones that I've tried are brilliant in quality. This foundation is brilliant for people with dry skin. It leaves a nice dewy effect on the skin, hide what you want it to hide and offers a medium coverage. The dewy effect isn't greasy like some (Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation, I'm talking to you), but it just gives you a healthy appearance. You can read my full review here if you want to know more!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52 Vanilla 
I'm sure I don't need to say to much on this because this, and it's original counterpart, are cult foundations in the blogging world. They are brilliant quality at a pretty decent price. This one isn't as long lasting as the original foundation, but the effect on the skin is great. It leaves the skin feeling moisturized, covers redness and flaws well and lasts well enough if you set it with a powder or setting spray.   You can purchase this here.

Please excuse the TERRIBLE photo!

 Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua in B10
I have a love hate relationship with this foundation. I adore it sometimes, and other I hate it but at the moment I'm having a love affair with the beaut. It's a luxurious, light coverage foundation that blend into the skin well and lasts on the skin. It's not going to cover everything in the world on your face, and it won't last as long as something like Double Wear but it will leave the skin looking healthy and with a hit of concealer it will give you a nice flawless look. Read my full review here from when I first fell in love with this!

Estee Lauder Double Wear in Cool Bone
This is my favourite EVER foundation. I've been in love with this since the first moment I put it on my face and will repurchase it until the end. It's a long lasting foundation that really lives up to it's claims. It lasts all day on the skin, blends really well and isn't a cakey matte mess on the skin. You can read my full review here

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Chanel Coco Mademoiselle EDP

After lusting after Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau De Parfum for absolutely ages, I finally decided to treat myself to a bottle. It felt strange purchasing a perfume for myself - I usually get it as a gift - but I just couldn't wait any longer for this beauty. 





This fragrance, which comes in both Eau De Parfum and Eau De Toilette, has top notes of orange, bergamot and grapefruit. The heart notes are slightly more floral with rose extract and jasmine but with a fruity hit of litchi. The base notes consist of patchouli, haitian vetiver, vanilla and white musk. 



I honestly cannot pick out any of these specifically from the fragrance but combined they create a stunning fragrance. I'm shocked that rose is part of the fragrance because you honestly cannot pick that out. I hate rose, so even if you are not a fan still give this a smell. 



I have quite a few perfumes in my collection but this is the longest lasting of them all. They beat out Marc Jacobs, Britney Spears (yes, I know I shouldn't own these) and Calvin Klein. It lasts about 6 or 7 hours with me being able to smell it on myself. The scent is very strong upon first application, but it soon becomes slightly more subtle and just gives you a nice feminine fragrance that lasts ages. 



The bottle is gorgeous and while this is expensive just the one squirt is enough so it lasts ages. The fragrance is distinctly feminine, and really quite sophisticated. I think it's something that any one of any age can wear, so give it a chance.  




I would highly recommend giving Chanel Coco Mademoiselle a whiff if you get the chance because it's a firm favourite of mine and I can see it being one for a long time.  

You can pick up Chanel Coco Mademoiselle at places that stock Chanel perfumes or online here from £48.

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April Favourites 2013 | Soap and Glory, Chanel & More

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Medium, Yardley Royal English Daisy Hand Cream, Soap and Glory Glow Job, Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15, Cosmopolitan Beauty Blender, YSL Rouge Voluptue Shine Lipstick in 8 Pink In Confidence, MUA Liquid Liner in Brown, MaxFactor Masterpiece Max Mascara, Maybelline Fit Me Powder in 120, Daniel Sandler Waterproof Liner in Black Velvet, MAC Pro-Longwear Blusher in Stay Pretty and Chanel Coco Mademoiselle.

Another month has past, and we are all that much closer to summer actually appearing! Today, I have a post all about the things I've been loving in the month of April.

Maybelline BB Cream in Medium, £7.99 (link)

I use this on super natural days, or as a primer when I want heavier coverage. I'm using Medium at the moment to give my skin a bit of a boost in the colour department as summer approaches but light has been a favourite of mine since it was released. 

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15 , £5.99 (link)

 I love this concealer, and I use it for all of my problem areas. It conceals blemishes, under-eye circles and redness. It lasts all day and the formula is brilliant. I did try this before and found the shade to be too dark, but who knew that the first shade (10) isn't the lightest. I found a lighter shade (15) and now it's perfect all round. 

Maybelline Fit Me Powder in 120, £5.99 (link)

I love this powder. It;s a nice, light weight powder that sets my makeup without making it look cakey. It doesn't offer that much coverage which I actually like, and the shade works well with my lighter and darker foundations. 

Cosmopolitan Beauty Blending Sponge (link)

 No matter what foundation I used, this sponge works with it. Some of my brushes only work with certain foundations but this working with everything. It gives a nice flawless coverage without any caking and it even works with cream blushes to get a nice natural look on the skin. 

Soap and Glory Glow Job  (link)

I picked this up when Soap and Glory was on 3 for 2 in Boots and fell in love. You need to make sure that you put this on in a mirror because of the bronzing beads in the lotion but it's a great 'radiance' mosituriser that is great for spring/summer. It's not a self tanner so don't fear, and it doesn't make you look like a TOWIE extra with the bronzing beads so don't fear either. 

MAC Pro-Longwear Blush in Stay Pretty (link)

After hunting for a bright spring time blush, I found this beauty. It's a nice long wearing bright pink that lasts all day on my cheeks, is a nice fine milled powder and amps up a look. The colour is great for the spring summer time. I wear this with super simple eye makeup and nude lips to make it pop and it looks great. 

Max Factor Masterpiece Max Mascara (link)

 I love this mascara, and am about to go out and purchase the full size. I for this in a little Max Factor gift set, and am so glad that I got to try it. It's a nice rubber wand that allows you to get super black and voluminous lashes. It can clump a little bit to much if you want more than 2 layers, but two layers is great for super amped up lashes. 

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick in 8 Pink in Confidence (link)

I picked this up at the #LDNBBMeet and have worn it nearly every day since. The colour is easy just to throw on with almost any look. It's nice and moisturizing, not drying in anyway and it stays on my lips. The colour is not to nude that you look dead, but also nude enough that it works perfectly everyday.

MUA Liquid Eyeliner in Brown (link)

I'm trying to get away from black liner for the summer, and this is my way of weaning myself off of it. It's a great liquid liner with a nice felt tip type brush. It's only £1, and it lasts all day on my eyes. It doesn't flake or smudge once it's dry, and the brown is just less harsh than black while still giving a nice definition to the eyes. 

Daniel Sandler Velvet Eyeliner in Black (link)

Even though I just said that I am trying to get away from black, I cannot give up my black liner in my water line just yet! This liner is amazing! It is super pigments, creamy but not to creamy, and it lasts all day. It's really black, and I love that its twist up. I never sharpen pencils, I just go find another one so a twist up  one is perfect for me. 

Yardley Royal English Daisy Hand Cream (link)

Review HERE! 
 
This hand cream is great, but it's the scent that's my favourite. I adore this scent from Yardley and have the EDT in my bag at all times. I want the shower gel and body lotion just to smell like this all the time. It's a nice light, young, floral scent perfect for spring/summer.

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (link)

Oh, where have you been all my life? This is the perfect scent for me. It lasts ages on the skin, it's a nice mature scent without making you smell like your nan or something and it's chanel. You only need 1 spray to smell like this all day, and the scent is gorgeous. 

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Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation

I've been thinking about getting a new high end foundation for a while, but I just couldn't decide which one to spend my pennies on. I's heard great things about a lot of foundations. but something one of them stood out to me.  I took the plunge and brought the much raved about Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. I first heard about this from Fleur De Force and from then it seems to spiral through the entire blogging world. 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation, £32

The Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation comes in 6 shades I believe, and is £32 a bottle. You get the standard 30ml in the bottle, and it contains SPF15. It claims to be an ultra light skin perfecting makeup that is ultra fine, easy to apply and gives that 'second skin' look. 
    

It's a water based foundation meaning you need to shake it really well before use. If you don't shake it up, it will just come out of the bottle as water. It has ball bearings in it which helps the foundation mix well in the bottle. 

Shade 10 Beige

I picked up the shade 10 Beige and it's an almost perfect match for my skin. It's applies easily, and leaves my skin looking natural but even and just better than it does on it's own. I would say it offers a medium coverage, and a really nice wear time. 

the bottle

When I first applied it, I thought that because of the dewy effect that it wouldn't last that long but I was shocked. It lasted all day on my skin, with only a little fading on my active breakout. It wears better than any foundation I've ever tried. The effect it leaves when first applies lasts the whole day, and it doesn't leave me wanting to scratch of my face by the end of the night like some  (Revlon ColorStay) can do when I wear it. 

 I have to admit that I'm not a fan of the packaging. It's beautiful don't get me wrong, but I don't think it feels quite as luxurious as other Chanel products do. It is great for travel though, and if you carry your foundation in you handbag then you don't have to fear that it'll break. 

The packaging is one thing that stopped me picking this up soon. I hate foundations that don't have a pump, and this one doesn't. The foundation comes out through a nozzle, and it can be hard to limit the amount you pour out when you want to apply it. 

 Overall, it's amazing! It offers a nice coverage without any cakey of heavy feeling on the skin, it lasts all day and holds the same effect on the skin all day too. Finally, it's Chanel so it feels like luxury in a bottle.

I would highly recommend this, and as expensive as it is, I think it might just be worth that amount of money. You can pick this up at Chanel counters, or online for £32 here

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P.S: Have you entered my Nars giveaway? It ends April 29th, so head on over to it here for your chance to win!