Makeup Forever Ultra HD ~ Real Life Photo Shop for Your Face!

What better way to inject a little beauty back onto the blog than with a GLOWING review for a cracking product range. You'll remember I was freaking out just a touch about the new TV3 HD cameras for Midday? Well one of the most on the ball PRs I know saw my panic and introduced me to one of the most impressive makeup lines I've ever used,  Makeup Forever Ultra HD.

This entire range are basically real life photoshop for your face. The lightweight formula of the foundation buffs in effortlessly with a stippling brush or can be applied in outward strokes with a flat foundation brush and can be built to a fuller coverage than the medium level of a standard application. The beauty of it? It takes little or no time to perfect this foundation when applied correctly. 

My normal/ occasionally dry skin adores it. The inclusion of hyaluronic acid & 'luminosity spheres' means this satin finish foundation sits weightlessly on my visage. Though those inclusions also give me an inkling that oilier gals might not be as enamoured. If that's you and you didn't get on with this formulation, definitely let me know. 

The real beauty with the formulation of every product in this line is that they work effortlessly with each other. Particularly impressive is the fact that even once your full face is set with the HD Powder, you can still use the HD blush and it will sit beautifully on the skin; unheard of to do so successfully with any other line.  

MUFE Primer for Fair Skin Tones: €33

The combined finish for me is glowing rather than greasy & never settles into my fine lines, no matter the wear time (which is seriously impressive on camera & off). Though primer is essential to ensure MUFE Ultra HD products can work their magic effectively, they truly are just that for me. There's a whopping 40 shades to choose from so I reckon they could be just that for you too. I've have a serious WANT on me for the MUFE yellow toned primer (for fair skin) but right now both my Cargo HD primer and the Max Factor Facefinity are both getting the job done. 

Price wise the Ultra HD line is high end and priced as such at €43 for the foundation, the concealer (which contains Silica to glide over fine lines) is €25 & the powder €33.50. You know I'd never steer you astray in a recommendation when it comes to dropping serious change on products but I can tell you, hand on heart, these are worth every cent to me. 

You can buy Make Up Forever products online HERE, very soon from Debenhams or, my recommendation, with a visit to the Clarendon Street store in Dublin. The gals in store are some of the most approachable and knowledgeable I've ever had the pleasure to chat with and I'll definitely be popping back in for a full face when needed next. 

Tell me, have you been converted to the Ultra HD ways yet? 

Wanna see more Beauty reviews around these parts and not primarily on Instagram once more? 

Perhaps most importantly,*in Ron Burgundy's voice* 

have you SEEN how good this makes me look on Midday? 

New Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation & Concealer in One!

I'm all for cutting a minute or twenty off my morning routine, more so when that routine is done in the office loos just to eek out as many precious zeds of a morning as I can. As soon as I laid eyes on Clinique's upcoming Beyond Perfecting Foundation & Concealer in One before the Christmas break, I knew it, I and my snooze button would get on very well indeed. 

There's 21  shades incoming with one of the lightest feeling full coverage formulations I've used to date. Aimed at the over 30 lady with a tendency toward oiliness, I've found it's worked a boon on my normal 30ish skin this past several months. 

Just one large doe foot of product is enough to do your entire fizzog. I know, I was doubtful too when makeup artist Florrie White gave me the lo-down but she is entirely right. The formulation feels dry on application but blends in nicely and is buildable as and where needed. Despite initial Saharan worries, I found it felt hydrating during its 12 hour wear time. Full comfortable coverage with very little product so that it never feels 'masky', that's a feat in itself but Clinique have pulled it off. 

Less than half a buidéal left - that's good going!

I've been so impressed with this double duty formulation that even when trialling other bases I've been reaching for Beyond Perfection as my concealer of choice. Now that's unheard of for me. I find the consistency ideal for my under eye area with enough slick so that it never creases or dries into fine lines. That's a sure fire sign of a product I'm loving, when I'm reaching for it unbeknownst to myself. 

Clinique Beyond Perfection Foundation & Concealer in One hits counters on February 6th and might just be the answer to many a busy woman's prayers. 

What say we? Will we be giving it a looksee when it drops? 

Take 3: A/W Foundations ft Clarins Extra-Comfort, Shiseido Sheer and Perfect & Smashbox Liquid Halo

I mentioned last week the introduction of this new series, called Take 3. The idea is simple, I'll choose a beauty category and take 3 products that have been especially impressing me of late. As always, I'm a firm believer in sharing is caring and trying to support a friendly community within the beauty blogging world so your links in the comments are actively encouraged. 

First up... Autumn/Winter foundations:

Smashbox Liquid Halo
Clarins Extra Comfort
Shiseido Sheer & Perfect foundation

Smashbox Liquid Halo HD Foundation: €35.50: 10 shades available

True to their LA Studio roots, Smashbox's Liquid halo HD Foundation uses liquid light technology and has been developed specifically to look great on HD cameras. To give flattering, light responsive coverage without feeling heavy on the skin or be detectable on film. 

My first impressions of this oil free beauty were just how silky soft the microscopic gel covered pigments feel on your skin, second impressions were 'Oh Holy, I look FABULOUS'. I've been dusting Liquid Halo lightly with my Smashbox Halo powder but I'm talking luminous skin ALL DAY, I'm talking weightless wearibilty, I'm talking get your tuckus to a Smashbox stand and try this out for yourself come September 18th. Feeling really is believing. 

Clarins Extra Comfort Anti -Aging Foundation: €43: 9 shades available

The powerhouse of Clarin's A/W13 Graphic Expression collection, Extra-Comfort Foundation is not only comfortable to wear but its full coverage, organic Argan oil infused unctuous formulation is a manna for dry skinned beauties that have previously shied away from full coverage for fear of filling in lines and wrinkles.  

My only hesitation with Extra-Comfort is the initial scent, which I can't quite place but it's not unpleasant and dissipates once the foundation blends easily into my skin. I've had several compliments wearing this bright, hydrating foundation and despite feeling like I'm not wearing anything on my skin - my flannel tells a different story at night. We're talking serious staying power with zero touch ups. Who doesn't love that? 

Shiseido Sheer and Perfect Foundation: €35: 18 Shads Available

 On our shelves since September 2nd, Shiseido Sheer and Perfect Foundation was my first foray into the brand and I couldn't be more impressed. The first thing to strike me was the lightweight plastic, small but perfectly formed, travel friendly, handbag hero 30ml bottle. Genuinely, other beauty brands, you need to take note. 

And then I tried it... Sheer and Perfect is extremely fluid and surprisingly highly pigmented, given its formulation. Coloured powders are used to counterbalance and correct colour issues in skin tone and problem areas. Green powder to combat redness, blue powder to disguise purple tinged under eye circles and white powder to smooth over visible pores. 

Shiseido feels more like a moisturiser on the skin than any foundation I've tried. the luminous finish means that I don't need highlighter but still catch sight of my cheekbones in the mirror at the end of the day - UNHEARD OF. The colour correcting technology means I'm not covering myself in concealer or powder either, so my skin feels soft, supple and free to breathe all day long. It may be sheer but it is my perfect foundation. 


And now comes the community bit: Let me know in the comments which foundation you're loving of late and why. Absolutely feel free to include a link to your blog should you have a post to better show us why you're loving it so much. Here's hoping we'll all find something a little bit special foundation wise for Autumn/Winter.