Anti Shine Primers - Makeup Forever, Smashbox & No 7

Hi Everyone!

I, like many of you I'm sure, suffer from shiny areas on my face which I hate. I know that powders and blotting papers can help to reduce the appearance of these shiny areas but I would prefer to prevent them from happening so I looked on the market for products that could do this. I found 3 that I purchased and have tried each of them out quite a few times over the course of 6 months to see how they each perform. I bought the Makeup Forever Matifying Gel Stop Shining +, the Smashbox Anti Shine and the No7 Shine Free Make-up Base. Here's how the 3 of them appear on your skin before blending them in:

(L to R) Makeup Forever, Smashbox, No 7

Makeup Forever Stop Shining +: This is a gel product which has a narrow tip on the end of the packaging which allows you to squeeze out the exact amount that you need and reduces waste. You can apply this product before or after your foundation, I like to apply it before. The gel blends easily into your skin and is invisible under your makeup. I found that it definitely reduces the oiliness of your skin but does leave some shine. Overall 8/10

Smashbox Anti Shine: Similarly to the Makeup Forever product, you can wear this under or over your makeup but I always wear it underneath. This is a gel to powder product that claims to control oil leaving your skin matte. Firstly, I do not like the way that this product applies to the skin, I used the suggested patting motion but find that it balls up rather than disappears into the skin however it does do a good job of controlling the oil but is visible under your makeup. Overall 5/10

No 7 Shine Free Makeup Base: This is the cheapest of the 3 products that I have tested and is the most easily available across the UK. The product claims to help minimise your blemishes and blot away shine. I did not feel when wearing it that it minimised my blemishes but it did reduce the oiliness of my skin slightly compared to when I was not wearing it. Overall 3/10

So to conclude, my favourite product of the 3 that I have put to the test has to be the Makeup Forever Stop Shining + as it reduced the shine on my skin the most and was not visible underneath my foundation, it did not appear cakey like the Smashbox product and did a much better job and controlling the oil than the No 7 product. The MUFE product cost £14.50 which I don't think is too expensive for the amount of product that you get and the tiny amount that you need. I have found that if I apply the MUFE gel to my oily areas (T-zone, tip of nose and chin) and use the odd blotting paper I stay shine free all day!

You can purchase the Makeup Forever Stop Shinning + from Guru Makeup Emporium for £14.50.

You can purchase the Smashbox Anti Shine from Debehams for £21.50 and also from Amazon here: Smashbox Anti-Shine Powder-Gel, Neutral 1 ea

You can purchase the No 7 Shine Free Makeup Base from Boots for £11.

Maz x

Face Make-up Routine using Drugstore Products

Hi Everyone!

I thought that it would be fun to share my quick, daily face make up routine with you all. This routine uses only drugstore products and it's the make up that I usually wear on my face when I am just popping to the shops or not really doing anything special!                          

I usually begin by applying the No 7 Shine Free Make up Base all over my face once my facial moisturiser has dried. I have combination skin and suffer with a lot of shine on my forehead and chin and this primer does do quite a good job of reducing it. This product also contains light-reflecting particles which claim to reduce the appearance of fine lines. You can purchase this product from Boots for £11 or from Amazon here: Boots No7 Mattifying Makeup Base 1.3 fl oz (40 ml)

                                                   

My favourite drugstore foundation is the Loreal True Match. I find that it blends into your skin so well which makes it quick to apply, if I am in a rush I usually apply it with my fingers. It is also really affordable and easy to find in the drugstores and supermarkets. I purchased my foundation from Boots for £9.99 and you can also purchase it from Amazon here: L'Oreal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Makeup, Soft Ivory, 1-Fluid Ounce

I have recently been trying out the Garnier Caffeine Anti-dark Circles Roll On. This is similar to their regular roll on which I have used for years. The roll on helps to distribute the fluid under your eyes and helps them to feel more awake. This version is tinted so covers and dark circles too. I usually gently roll the product under my eyes and then use my fingers to gently pat it in to my skin. You can purchase this from Boots for £9.99 or from Amazon here: Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller, 0.50-Fluid Ounce

To set my make up I use No 7's Pressed Powder in Translucent by swirling my Kabuki brush in to the product and then buffing it into my skin. This is a pretty standard powder but sets your make up well without adding any colour. You can get it at Boots for £9 or from Amazon here: Boots No7 Perfect Light Pressed Powder, Translucent .35 fl oz (10 ml)

My brow hairs are pretty light in colour so I always like to fill them in. My favourite brow pencils are from Clarins and Smashbox but I really like Rimmel's Professional Eye Pencil which also has a brow groomer on the cap. The pencil isn't as easy and smooth to apply as the more expensive pencils but for the money its great. I usually get my pencil from Sainsburys when I am doing my grocery shopping for around £3 and you can also get it from Amazon here: Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil, Hazel 002 1 ea

I don't usually wear eye shadow on days when I'm not doing much but I always like to wear a coat of mascara as I always feel that it makes your eyes look more awake and open. My favourite is Loreal's Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black which I usually get from Boots for £11.29 or from Amazon here: L'Oreal Paris Telescopic Original Mascara, Carbon Black, 0.27-Fluid Ounce

I don't usually wear blush on regular days but if I do I love NYX's blushes. They come in such a great range of colours which are really affordable. My favourites are Angel and Peach. (To read my top 5 NYX blushes post please click here). You can get them from NYX for £7.95 or from Amazon here: Nyx Powder Blush- Peach (Pbo6)

To finish off my make up I usually add my favourite lip balm which is the Coconut Lip Butter from the Body Shop. This has been one of my favourite lip products for years now and I love the white glossy look it gives your lips. I am also a huge fan of the entire coconut range and often use the body wash and butter too! You can purchase it from The Body Shop for £4 or from Amazon here: The Body Shop Coconut Lip Butter 0.29 oz

I hope that you have enjoyed my drugstore face make up routine post. Please feel free to share your favourite drugstore products with me below!

Maz x