October 2014 Empties

As I've made a foray into the "real world" I've tried my best to use up what I have and not purchase anything I don't need. As a way to keep myself going, I made this little post to show you guys the things I've used up and the things that I would be most interested in repurchasing.

1. Guerlain Parure Extreme Foundation in 02 - Discontinued
2. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner
3. Chantecaille Future Skin in Nude
4. YSL: Volume Effet Faux Cils in Rich Black
5. Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel in Granite
6. Majorlica Majorica Cheek Customize Blush in 255

Thoughts after the jump!

Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation Review and Swatches

This is the foundation I turned to after my beloved Guerlain Parure Extreme was discontinued. Starting at my new workplace, I may have been talked into this a little bit by my friend, but I'd heard great things about the brand and I was curious to see if the product stood up to the hype surrounding "Future Skin." On the box it says:

An innovative, oil free gel foundation containing 60% charged water and seaweed. Skin looks totally perfected and dewy; sebum is balanced. Aloe, Chamomile, and Arnica calm irritation. Rosemary, Green Tea and Rice Bran help prevent oxidation. Adjustable coverage from medium to full. 

The natural ingredients and Chantecaille's dedication towards organic products and overall "skin health" really intrigued me.

Including this jar of Vanilla Future Skin, I've also gone through one whole jar of Nude. One jar of future skin retails for $75 at stores like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. For $75 you get 1 oz. of product in a thick plastic pot. I really don't like the packaging of this product. Not only is it unsuited for travel, but I think it's harder for products in pots to remain hygienic. Personally, I also tend to be too heavy handed with product when it comes in a format like this so I feel like I'm wasting it with my haphazard daily application. I would have much preferred a pump or tube in terms of dispensing this.

This foundation is really different from most foundations I've tried. The closest thing I can think of is Bourjois Healthy Mix Gel Foundation. However, Chantecaille's formulation isn't as heavily scented as Bourjois'. In terms of texture, I think Bourjois Healthy Mix is a close dupe for the much more expensive Chantecaille foundation.

Although they say the foundation is "medium to full coverage" I feel like one layer of foundation isn't enough for me. The gel foundation is more of a tinted moisturizer or a "your skin but better" foundation. I think this foundation will add a natural glow to anyone who already has perfect or near perfect skin. Not only am I naturally heavy handed, I felt like I needed a lot of foundation to get the coverage level that I wanted.

I usually apply foundations with my fingers or a stippling brush, but the associate who sold me this told me that the best way to apply the foundation was with a flat synthetic foundation brush. You'd brush a base layer onto your entire face and pat more foundation onto the areas where you need more coverage. For me, I focused on increased coverage for my cheeks and my chin.

As I've stated before, I've already used up a pot of this in Nude and repurchased it in a different color, Vanilla. The nude was actually too pink-toned for my skin. As you can tell from the swatches above, Vanilla was just a more natural shade for me in terms of undertone and color.

Here are some photos of the different foundations on my skin. I've only applied a base layer so you can see the amount of coverage. I really like the demi-matte, satin like finish of this foundation.

This is after I completed my whole makeup routine with concealer, powder, and everything else. I have very oily skin and usually "dewy" foundations make me look greasy. I think this is the first time that I've experienced a healthy looking glow.

This is after a full day of wear. I haven't touched up or used oil blotting sheets, but you can tell that I look significantly greasier. Although it's hard to tell in this light, I feel that the lasting power of this foundation is a little lacking. If you have oily skin, you definitely need to set your makeup with a finishing powder to make it last through the day.

Altogether it's a great luxury product, but I feel that it's definitely a "my skin but better" foundation. Even though Future Skin is easily buildable, I have to use an excess of product to get the level of coverage I want. When 1 oz. of product is $75 I want to make it last as long as possible, which is impossible for the amount of daily coverage I need. Application also tends to be a bit finicky when you have troubled skin like mine. Finally, I had a huge issue with the packaging. Not only was keeping the product hygienic a little difficult, it was unnecessarily annoying to travel with. I took it traveling once and it got messy. A lot of product got inside the lid and wasted foundation that I could've put on my face. Given all these factors, I don't think I'll repurchase.

Facts:
- $75 for 1 oz. of Product
- Luxury Cosmetic and only available at high end retailers
- "Medium to Full" Coverage
- Organic Ingredients
- Oil Free

Pros:
- Great for your skin, chock full of ingredients to improve you skin
- Didn't break me out, great for sensitive skins
- Beautiful Finish

Cons:
- Expensive
- Had to use a lot of product to get the coverage I wanted
- Container Unhygienic and Bad for Travel

Purchase Links:
Future Skin