The Ordinary Coverage Foundation - is it worth the hype?

My opening post for September was a foundation review (the All Hours from YSL), let me close the month with another from the budget world. There's no denying that launching The Ordinary was a little touch of genius from Deciem. Now they not only offer no-frills, no-nonsense, active ingredient-led skin care for a low price but they have ventured into the world of colour cosmetics with two foundations: the Serum with light coverage, dewy finish and the Coverage with high coverage, satin finish.  This is not a new launch by any means, the reason for my belated review is the insane amount of interest in the foundations. The beauty industry and beauty junkies all over the world collectively went bananas over the launch and created waiting lists with tens of thousands of names.  My shade (1.2N) hasn't been available for months on end, it still isn't actually but I thought it is high time to review it. I was mainly drawn by the sound of the Coverage Foundation so I went with a slightly darker shade, 2N just to see how it works.

The foundations come in 21 shades and in different undertones (P -pink, R-red, Y- yellow, N-neutral and some shades have S-silver or G-gold highlights in them for a more luminous effect). Wayne Goss has done a great video reviewing them and he attached a chart of Mac foundation shades with the corresponding The Ordinary shades. This is a great reference point when you order online but if it's accessible for you can pop into the London store in Covent Garden to find your shade.

Coverage claims to be an affordable foundation with a high-end formulation, this sounds incredibly exciting so let's see how it performs.

Please note that I have normal to combination skin with a typical t-zone oiliness.

The promise: "Coverage Foundations are full-coverage formulations available in a comprehensive shade range across 21 shades. These foundations contain higher pigment levels than our Serum Foundations but still offer a smooth finish that avoids the heavy makeup look that can make skin appear more aged. The texture is that of a lightweight, non-oily cream.The pigments used in these formulations are treated for a rich, highly-saturated effect. These pigments are suspended in our proprietary spreadability system that allows pigments to look natural on the skin, resist collecting within fine lines and stay on for longer. The foundations offer a semi-matte finish and are compatible with most primers and are designed to work exceptionally well with the primers offering from The Ordinary".

The Packaging:  Paired-down, minimalist bottle typical for The Ordinary and it comes with a pump! Hurrah! The reason why I'm glad about this is that I have to admit I am still hurt by the fact that the Double Wear Water Fresh Foundation from Estee Lauder doesn't come with a pump.

Who is it for? I can see this could work on all other skin types, the key is good preparation

Coverage: medium, buildable

Finish: satin, natural

Longevity: up to 6 hours without touching up, longer with a quick blot and a bit of powder, even longer with a primer underneath.

Fragrance: none

Sun protection: SPF15, not a chemical sunscreen but physical, achieved by using Titanium Dioxide.  No nano-particles are used in creating this sun protection which is quite unique when it comes to foundations. If you are outside the EU you will notice that despite getting the same product you won't see the SPF15 claim just because regulations are very different in other countries.

How it worked: On application (I have found a damp sponge or fingers worked best)it felt smooth, creamy, moisturizing, light-weight, it blended in beautifully.   A little goes a long way so you don't have to dab it on the skin for hours to achive a decent finish. During the day it lasted pretty well, wore off a little within 5 hours but this is not claiming to be Double Wear so it's absolutely fine. I tried wearing it with and without a primer and I can say it lasts much better with a primer. During the day I had to touch up at around the 5-hour mark but a quick blot and a swoosh of powder later it was as good as new and was ready for the next few hours of wear. At the end of the day using a cream cleanser was enough to completely remove it.

Before and after:

Before foundation                                                                  After foundation

Suffice to say, if you prep well, this is a pretty impressive foundation for the price point. I will definitely order the lighter shade for the winter, all I have left to do is find a good SPF day cream to use underneath because let's face it, SPF15 is very little sun protection even during winter time. The Ordinary is planning to introduce individual enhancers to the existing foundation shades so you can customize all shades to your own individual needs. I cannot wait to experiment with them!

The Coverage Foundation is alcohol-free, oil-free, nut-free, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, cruelty-free.

Value for money: Excellent! You get a decent 30ml for £5.90.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG first impressions

We are conditioned by the beauty industry to believe that caffeine is good for our skin but is it really? 
Caffeine is supposed to be this magical stimulating ingredient that has remarkable benefits for the skin. It is a soothing antioxidant that apparently gets rid of dark circles, puffiness even cellulite.  I have dark circles (lifestyle related and a bit hereditary too), I suffer from morning puffiness and I am dehydrated around the eyes so I need all the help I can get to get my face look tolerable every morning. The good beauty junkie that I am could not resist getting my hands on  The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG thinking higher the percentage of the caffeine the better. I have used eye creams before that contained small amounts of caffeine but never that high a percentage. The question is: is it any good?

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG is a light, soft gel-like serum that was designed to improve the look of dark circles and puffiness under the eyes. Along with the high percentage of caffeine it contains highly purified Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside  (EGCG) gained from green tea which acts as a powerful antioxidant and inflammatory agent.

There aren't many studies available out there on the benefits of caffeine so all I can do is rely on well-respected experts' opinion and trust my instincts when testing the formula. The reviews I've seen are mixed when it comes to the Caffeine Solution. Some say it's amazing, some say they don't see improvement by using it, it's not proven how beneficial caffeine is and what percentage is the ideal to use. Paula Begoun (the founder of the highly respected brand Paula's Choice) and Beautypedia goes as far as saying that such high percentage of caffeine can even be irritating for the skin. Goodness! What have I got myself into?

Trying to forget about potential irritation and focusing on the positive reviews I added the caffeine formula to my morning routine. After cleansing I put the tiniest amount around the eyes with a patting motion, wait for it to dry and then I go in with my eye cream. I have only been using it for two weeks but I have to say, it has been a pleasant experience so far and I haven't had any irritation. The effects as you put it on the skin remind me of the Hyaluronic Acid serums I have used before. It feels cooling, slightly hydrating and firming straight away.  It definitely takes down puffiness which means it takes less time to get my face into shape in the morning. That alone is a great result to me.  After the initial positive experience I am incredibly curious to see any long-term effects especially on my dark circles. It might be a good idea to do before and after pictures as I am finishing the bottle. I can't wait to report back to you on this one because along with my healthy skepticism there is my persistent desire for wanting to know.

I am fascinated how little information there is available on the effects of caffeine and the studies that are available are not conclusive about the benefits of it (especially regarding dark circles and cellulite). Treatments for the eye area seems the least researched in the cosmetics industry but I have the feeling we will see a change soon enough.

Before I finish this 'first impressions' post, let me remind you that 'dark circles under the eyes' is a complex subject, there can be different causes of it, so  if caffeine is some sort of a remedy in some cases, not all types of dark circles might be improved by the use of it. Same goes for puffiness. If it is due to water retention it is easier to treat. However, if it is due to fat deposits, that will require a different type of intervention.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 30ml  is alcohol-free, oil-free, silicone-free, nut-free,vegan and cruelty-free. It is available in UV-protective packaging (as EGCG is sensitive to light) for £5.80 on the Deciem website or at Victoria's Health.

L'occitane La Flamme Marie Claire Candle

The beauty industry has a long-standing relationship with charitable causes. Brands like Estee Lauder, Mac, Bobbi Brown, Illamasqua all have their particular causes they support by either giving a percentage of their sales away for the good cause or bringing out limited edition products and give 100% of the proceeds for charity. Companies with such global reach can considerably help in raising awareness and funds for breast cancer, aids,  education of women; bullying;  etc., hence helping a lot of people affected by these issues.

One of the well-established charity relationships is between Marie Claire and L'occitane. This year the French brand has joined Marie Claire again in the #ShareTheLight campaign by releasing a limited edition candle called La Flamme. La Flamme is not new, Marie Claire and L'occitane have been raising funds for educating women and girls worldwide since 2010 by launching limited edition candles and give away 100% of the sales for charity. L'occatine has sold nearly 600,000 candles since then and they have managed to raise  EUR 791,446 for carefully selected charities all over the world.

Why did I choose to support this cause you ask? Because everything starts and ends with education. Without education there is nothing, without education, there is no future. I was lucky in my upbringing because  education used to be considered important and a normal thing to do, not to talk about the fact that back in the day where I come from education was free up until your first degree. I used to take education for granted and used to think that everyone has a chance to study. Of course, as you are growing up, you see the world and realize this is not how it works especially when it comes to girls and women.  Education should be a basic human right and I will support whoever is fighting for it. The name of the candle 'La Flamme' means 'The Flame', which represents a symbolic light in the darkness, hope for a better future. I find it very fitting that the cover says "Eclairez mon avenir","Light up my future." since just by buying this candle for as little as £9.00 you can contribute to giving someone a better future through education.

When my obsession with beauty comes together with a great charitable cause I am happy as a clam. I love L'occitane as a brand and what they stand for so I took the chance of doing something good straight away and picked up three of the candles last week in the Brighton L'occitane shop. I find burning candles incredibly soothing and warming, it is one of my favourite Autumn things to do when it turns cold outside.

The candle itself has a very pretty and delicate design.  The scent is a blend of floral notes of Freesia, Red Berries, Lily of the Valley, Rose, Jasmine with a hint of Amber and Rosewood. It is gentle, delicate, warm with a touch of sweet. This little gem will warm up cold autumn days and when that delicate scent fills up the house I will think that maybe a young girl somewhere in the world might have a better future because of that.

This year L'occitane's La Flamme for Marie Claire is expecting to raise EUR 300,000 worldwide. If you can squeeze this into your September beauty budget, please do because with as little as £9.00 you can do something truly worthwhile.

La Flamme is available in L'occitane stores and online.

New in - YSL All Hours Foundation review

We hardly left the summer months behind and I am thinking 'winter foundation' already. Nursing my painful disbelief and self-pity over the fact that it's September already, I started my quest for a great high coverage, long lasting foundation as a pleasant distraction. I am not sure why but it's a habit of mine to wear high coverage foundation when it turns cold outside. My usual go-to choice has always been good old Double Wear from Estee Lauder but as I got a little older I felt it was drying so it seemed like a good idea to look for something a little bit more nourishing.

Looking for new candidates I've found myself at a YSL counter eagerly advertising their new, highly anticipated full coverage foundation the All Hours. I signed up for a generous amount of sample with the lovely Debbie in the North Street store of Boots in Brighton and went home with a spring in my step to quickly try it. The excitement of trying new makeup never gets old!

I have been wearing it for a good few weeks now...could this be the one? I have to say, the chances are high it is, I love it so far. High coverage is a new direction for YSL when it comes to their foundation portfolio so let's see how they have done. Here are the facts:

What PR says: "YSL All Hours Liquid Foundation has you covered for endless nights: own the night and the day with a matte foundation for a flawless complexion, which stays put for up to 24 hours. A rich level of fine pigments means full coverage with a flawless, even finish, without a mask-like effect. The high coverage foundation’s innovative formula is waterproof and transfer-resistant, with no compromise on comfort and no need to touch up. The oil-free formula gives a matte look throughout the day and helps to reduce the appearance of pores. The YSL All Hours Liquid Matte Foundation formula is enriched with a skin care complex and UV filter leaving skin looking fresh and smooth. Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Dermatologically tested. Non-comedogenic. SPF 20."

My thoughts (keep in mind that I have normal to combination skin with slight t-zone oiliness):

The Packaging:  sleek, long glass bottle with a black stripe running along the middle. It is classy, chic, very YSL, it would look great on dressing tables.

Who it is for? It is strange because first, you would think this could work brilliantly for normal to combination, slightly dry, dull, young, ageing, tired skin since it feels quite glowy (later it dries to a satin finish but not entirely matte, at least not on me) and moisturizing on my skin but then it stays on really well so it could work for oily skin too as they say. The brand offers samples, I would definitely try that first.

The finish: it is very dewy on application then dries to a satin finish. I know, they advertise it as a matte finish, but it wasn't really matte on me.  Not that I mind in the slightest,  I was actually looking for a non-matte finish, but if you are thinking of getting it, definitely get a sample to see how it works on your skin. 

The coverage: medium to high, buildable

The fragrance: subtle, not overpowering

How it worked for me: Using a damp beauty blender to apply it, the foundation has a soft creamy texture and goes on beautifully.  A tiny bit goes a long way and in no time it gives the skin a gorgeous, perfected, flawless look. After finishing the makeup my skin looked healthier, brighter, revived, flawless every day in the past few weeks. This foundation is perfect when you need a bit of a pick me up on days when you feel tired or you are not feeling too well. It is really comfortable to wear, not heavy or mask-like on the skin.  I loved the satin finish too, it is just what I was after, the SPF 20 is a nice bonus feature. During the day it was wearing well, similar to Double Wear, I only had to blot the t-zone once or twice (that was on warm days) and touch up once under my nose and on my chin where all the foundations go first on me. On my cheeks, it stayed flawless all day.

I can't really comment about the 24-hour wear since I never wear a foundation that long but all in all this formula lasts really well. I tested whether or not it was transfer-resistant too, I gave big hugs to my boyfriend who was wearing a white t-shirt the other day (the things we do for science!) without covering him in yellow makeup so that's a good sign. They say it is waterproof which I haven't really tested, all I know is that I left it on when I was working out (HIIT cardio and boxing for an hour and mat exercises for another hour) it still stayed on surprisingly well even if I dabbed the sweat off (sorry for the gruesome details). This foundation, it seems, is perfect on hot days, in hot climates or if you feel self-conscious about your skin, but still want to go to the gym which makes it even better.
When cleansing in the evening I felt this needed a bit more than a cream, so I used the  Superfacialist by Una Brennan oil cleanser which took it off it in no time. 

Value for money: £33.50 for 25ml, this is luxury category, an investment piece but lasts a long time.

Here are the before and after shots by my window in natural light:

                               Before foundation                                After foundation                                Full makeup                                                                  

As far as I'm concerned, the All Hours has passed the test, it is a great foundation! It has decent coverage, gives a beautiful finish, it is long lasting and is comfortable to wear. It has only launched last week but I've already bought one bottle that will last me until the end of the year at least.

The Bodyshop Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask Review

Not a week goes by without a new mask hitting the beauty shelves of the country but as a self-confessed mask-junkie, I'm not complaining. I'm always happy to try all of them for the greater good of sharing the results with you! The Bodyshop's superfood masks have been a firm favourite of mine since they've been launched this time last year (the British Rose and the Chinese Ginseng and Rice ones are brilliant!)so I was excited to see a new addition to the range. I was very curious how it will work since I haven't tried any pollution clearing masks before.

What it is:
The masking formula contains matcha green tea from Kakegawa, Japan, Dandelion Extract, Community Trade Aloe Vera from Mexico. It promises to purify, exfoliate and help to lift the build-up of city pollutants, everyday impurities.
Matcha tea (a special type of green tea - pulverized green tea leaves - that is grown and produced in Japan) is a fabulous detox for the skin, an antioxidant powerhouse that has anti-inflammatory properties (reduces the redness associated such as rosacea and even acne), it keeps your complexion fresh and healthy (exfoliates and lifts off dead skin cells from the surface of the skin)and is fantastic for improving the signs of ageing (stimulates elastin production to add volume to the skin, protects the skin against free radicals that cause sun damage, age spots, dry skin, and yes, wrinkles). It has benefits for all skin types since it is gentle and great for those who struggle with breakouts and oily skin too. 
Dandelion Extract is a potent antioxidant as well (who knew?), the added Aloe Vera helps with soothing and moisturizing the skin.

 Environmental pollution can tremendously age our skin (it causes dryness, pigmentation, inflammation, fine lines, etc.)but these brilliant active ingredients are all working on neutralizing free radicals that cause the damage. 
Added bonus: The Japanese Match Tea mask is 100% vegan and doesn't contain silicones, mineral oil or paraffin.

The packaging: dark coloured heavy glass jar, the product is well protected, looks good on bathroom shelves but not travel-friendly.

How it worked for me: The Japanese Matcha Tea mask sounds delicious as it is but I think so far this is the most 'sensorial' of them all. Opening the jar I was instantly taken by the scent, it is so lovely, fresh, earthy, almost grassy. The formula itself is creamy, easy to apply. The first time I put it on I had this strange, very gentle tingling sensation which scared me a bit first but it turned into more of a cooling and uplifting sensation. Does this even make sense? Is this how it should work? I don't know but this has got to be the most peculiar yet fun first-time mask experience. The longer I left it on, the more pleasant it has become. The mask has a light green colour that changes to almost clear over time. After 10 minutes as I removed it with a sponge the small granules gently exfoliated the skin leaving it fresh and incredibly clean. My skin looked amazing (not red at all despite thinking it might irritate my skin)as a result: bright, glowing, plumped up but it was even better the next day since I used my intense Alpha-H Glycolic moisturiser after the mask, so it must have penetrated better due to the mask. 

Did this mask remove all the pollution from my skin? I have absolutely no idea, but it was a great experience and my skin felt fantastic without a doubt after using it so I highly recommend it! If I did a longer Sunday mask routine I would even add the British Rose hydrating mask after this for an extra plumping effect. 

Value for money: you get a healthy 75ml for £16 and judging by my previous experience with the superfood masks, it will last a long time.


I am absolutely thrilled I've found yet another brilliant mask from the Bodyshop. I think this could work on most skin types, however, if you know you have sensitive skin, patch test first to be on the safe side.