My Dream Foundation

It just so happens that the most important thing in our makeup rountine can also be the most difficult thing to master... Foundation.

 It's not because we utterly suck at applying our base, instead it's because we haven't found our dream foundation.

The foundation that matches our skintone and undertone. The foundation that sinks into our skin without accentuating our big potholes called pores. The foundation that wows us by not making us look dry or oily.

What would your dream foundation be?

My dream foundation would have to be remarkable. Something that goes above and beyond most people expectations. I need a natural foundation that covers everything- pimples, redness, dry patches, scars, and pores. I don't want to lean in close to the mirror and see pore city or crusty scabs. Now Im thinking of crusty crabs, haha. MMM.. burgers. Anyway, even though the dont-stick-to-dry-patches aspect contradicts my other need, I do need something that doesn't let oil seep through. The only thing on my face that should be popping with light, is my highlight, not my oily crater face. If a foundation doesn't last all day, it's out the door. I don't have time for that! But the most important thing to me is coverage. I have a crap ton to cover. Concealers just are not practical when I have a face full of acne. Are you kidding me? My face looks more like a cake than my actual birthday cake if I apply concealer to every problem spot. So I need a foundation with a high amount of pigment to get the job done. It's now 2016, this foundation I dream of should be here already.

If my dream foundation is created, I hope and pray the shade selection is decent. Wouldn't it be a bummer if I couldn't find a color match?! Take note companies!

What is your dream foundation? Is it similair to mine or the complete opposite? Let me in on your dream in the comments below!

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L'Oreal Lumi Cushion Foundation | Review For Acne Prone Skin

How exciting is it that America is finally jumping on the cushion band wagon?! Cushion foundations have been a popular item in Korea for a while now. They are known for their flawless finish and buildable coverage.

There are a whopping amount of 12 shades available, starting at Light Ivory and ending at Cocoa.  The shade I have is N2. The price is $16.99. Wait. What? Yes, freaking $17 for a drugstore foundation! What the heck Loreal?! And the amount of product is even cut in half (52 oz)! This item is permanent at the drugstore.

The shades are pretty accurate to the sticker on the compact. When you first open the foundation the cushion looks a little darker than the actual foundation. So don't be alarmed about a wrong color match.  

The packaging is very cute. The foundation comes in a bulky compact with a rose gold lid. The top lid lifts up and reveals a large mirror and sponge.There is another protective lid that clicks and seals in the cushion foundation. Although I do love the packaging, it can be hard to tell if the sealing lid shuts completely. ( It does by the way, it's just hard to tell since it doesn't click convincingly)

 I'm pretty confident that the packaging will keep the cushion saturated in product. One of my first thoughts was, "Oh no, it's going to dry out like a sharpie marker". Nope, were fine in that department. Now my main concern is bacteria. Granted, the sponge does have an anti- microbial layer but will that really keep bacteria at bay? Who knows!

Swatch: Looks yellow in the picture but in person it's more neutral. 

Oh, coverage,  I'm sure that's what every one is concerned about. I do find the Lumi Cushion foundation to be buildable as in the sense it builds well without looking cakey. However, I don't agree about the coverage being buildable. Even with three layers on, it almost looks the same as it does with one layer- sheer coverage. It does cover redness but not problem areas. The only thing I'll personally use it for is a base foundation for fuller coverage or for any everyday wear to take my dog outside... Acne sufferers will understand what I mean by that. 

Left to right: No foundation, One Layer, Two Layers, Three Layers 

The finish is very flawless and lightweight. It really does live up to the cushion foundation hype. I find no matter how much I apply it always blends into a flawless base. Speaking of blending, darn this stuff is easy to apply. It's as simple as patting and moving on to powder. It's such an easy product to use.

It doesn't emphasize pores or dry patches! Unfortunately, it can accentuate peach fuzz, so be sure to wax beforehand. 

The lasting power is average. It stayed on my combo skin for 5 hours before my oil started to break through. After that point it turned my face started to look like a frying pan.  I do set it with Rimmel Stay Matte powder and I have been using Nivea's After Shave Balm as a primer. Since it has a dewy finish that doesn't set completely, I feel the need to set wherever I applied it. For now on, I may use an oil control primer to prevent oil seeping through! 

 I feel like those who have super oily skin will despise this foundation. Normal skin gals out there will probably love it, as well as dry.

Overall, I do like this foundation even though the coverage sucks. L'Oreal didn't claim it to be a full coverage foundation, so I'm not going to penalize it for that reason alone. I like the finish, shade range, blend-ability, the way it applies, packaging, weight and how it doesn't have a smell. The only things I don't like is the price for the amount you get and the potential for bacteria growth. I don't see it replacing my foundation but it may be my new base product. I love how it smooths over my dry patches and provides a thin layer of extra coverage. I'll finish it up but I won't repurchase it just because I do require more coverage for my acne. 

Pro's

•  doesn't break me out!
• buildable
• flawless finish
• easy to apply
• lightweight
• great base foundation
• blends easily
• shade selection
• no smell
• very saturated 
• nice packaging
• Natural looking 
• Covers redness 

Con's

• sheer coverage
• pricey for drugstore
• little amount of product
• may not be sanitary 
• Can Accentuate peach fuzz 

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Admit That You Have Acne!

Earlier this week I told someone I couldn't donate plasma because I have acne. Normally, I hate pointing out the fact that I have acne. I know it's pretty obvious when acne is present on someone's face but I feel like if I don't talk about it, then no one thinks about it. However, that's not true. People are going to notice it anyway. So why not just admit to it to relieve it from your system? 

 When I first said I have acne It felt like I was revealing a huge, hidden secret. It's one of those things that you have to admit, to be able to accept it and move on to the next thing in life. It's like... Ok, everyone knows now even though I already knew that they are aware of it, however, now I don't have to hide it. My secret is out and I'm free. Even better, now I feel more comfortable around the poeple who I admitted it to! This feeling of being comfortable gives me more confidence and that's what we all need. We're all beautiful even if we do have acne. 

My point is, admit you have acne to people. Then you don't have to think about what they are wondering about your acne. Talk about it just like you would every other problem and eventually you'll grow comfortable with it. We all know the worst part about having acne is wondering what people think when they look at your skin. Talking about it lets everyone know you're aware of it (and probably working on it) and you're comfortable with it. Your acne will be a thing in the past. Sure, breakouts will keep occurring but the presence of them will already be known. 

I know this sounds kind of silly but it really does make a difference. Admitting something about your self somehow changes the insecurity it fills you up with. Once the initial admittance blows over, you're constant anxiety about your acne disappears. I guess it like a fighting mechanism, if everyone knows you're okay with it, then they can't use it against you. It's all psychological! Go ahead and try it yourself!

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What do you think about today's post?

Have you admitted you have acne?

And how do you deal with your acne?

Let's me know in the comments below! 

#youlookdisgusting | By My Pale Skin

Bullying on social media has became an epidemic problem for everyone but especially for bloggers. To be even more specific, bloggers with imperfections, like acne. I personally haven't recieved any hate comments yet about my acne but I have witnessed popular bloggers who have and it's down right disgusting.

Acne Update-April 2015

Hey, guys! I wanted to give everyone an update on my acne. When I do updates I like to talk about what products I have been using, including makeup and skincare, what I have been eating and some of my current habits. I'll also include a couple pictures of my skin. Don't be thrown off by the lighting! Some pictures are taken in my bathroom and others are in natural lighting.  

GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment mask review for acne prone skin

PR Sample 

Hello!

Five? Ten? Twenty? Or even one hundred? How many skincare products have you bought to treat your acne? Too many to count? Trust me I'm on the same boat. Fortunately, for me, I have finally found the perfect product for my bumpy skin. Glamglows Supermud Clearing Treatment Mask. You can find it at Sephora or Glamglows website for $69. It comes housed in a white jar with 1.2 ounces of miracle liquid in it (oops did hat ruin the review?). 

First, I need to let you know Glamglow did send this to me. However, I would NOT lie to you about the performance of a product. I even have before and after pictures to show you. So there you go, you have your proof.

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Product description 

The World's most Scientifically Advanced Clearing Treatment. Clinically Developed by GLAMGLOW Dermatological Chemist to help fight all common skin concerns. Designed For Men & Women of All Ages & All Skin Types. SUPERMUD for Super Clear Super Poreless Skin.

TEAOXI^® EUCALYPTUS LEAF

Groundbreaking TEAOXI^® is GLAMGLOW’s proprietary continuous time-release technology, delivering daily fresh natural eucalyptol, natural linalool oil & powerful flavonoids direct into our formula from real pieces of Eucalyptus Leaf contained in our magical healing SUPERMUD^®.

ACNECIDIC-6™

ACNECIDIC-6^™ 4.4%. The World’s first Clearing Treatment with a proprietary 6 acid blend. AHA & BHA acids are perfectly PH balanced for mind-blowing faster results.

·         Glycolic – Helps Restore Photo Damaged Skin & Improves Skin Texture.

·         Salicylic – Helps De-clog to Minimize Pores & New Skin Rejuvenation.

·         Lactic – Helps Pigmentation, Moisture, Stimulation & Skin Collagen.

·         Mandelic – Helps Fine Lines, Wrinkles, Aging Skin & Skin Elasticity.

·         Pyruvic – Helps the Effects of Scaring & Clearer Skin.

·         Azelaic – Helps Fight Follicle Bacteria & Breakouts.

PORE-MATRIX™

PORE-MATRIX^™ Our Activated-X Charcoal is an Xtreme absorption carbon, attracting toxic substances into its mass up to 500 times its volume from all skin types, within the deepest & toughest areas. Our new proprietary K17-Clay™ will better extract & encapsulate excess sebum oils, bacteria & toxins in a controlled stasis state, revealing a Pore-Matrix™ of extraction dots & areas, ready to be washed away for seemingly poreless skin.

BIO-LIFE-CELL-SCIENCE™

Uses the complex natural occurring skincare benefits of green life, for Advanced Scientific Skincare.

·         EUCALYPTUS LEAF - Helps Fight Toxic Skin Complications.

·         LICORICE ROOT - Helps Regulate & Alleviate Problem Skin.

·         PEPPERMINT PLANT - Helps Control Bacteria & Irritations.

·         CHAMOMILE - Helps Inflammation & Regeneration.

·         MARIGOLD - Helps Fight Viral & Microbial Issues.

·         COMFREY HERB - Helps Analgesic Recovery.

·         ALOE VERA – Helps Healing & Rejuvenation.

·         IVY – Helps Relieve Itching & Tightens Skin.

·         CUCUMBER - Helps Soothe & Calm Skin.

How long have I been trying it?

I used GlamGlow for about 12 weeks. I started out using it as a face mask two times a week and as a daily spot treatment. After a couple weeks my acne started to die down, so I decided to use it as a spot treatment only. 

Acne results?

Here is a picture of my skin before I started using Glamglows Super Mud Clearing Tretment mask..

As you can see I had moderate to severe acne. I mostly had large painful acne around my jawline and lips. On my cheeks they were smaller but still painful. No matter what kind of pimple, I would always have a mark left behind that wouldn't go away for months. I tend to get a little oily in my t-zone but dry around my acne. By the way, in the picture above that's not oil on my face, it's a moisturizer. After a few weeks my face looked like this..

At this point my acne was less severe but I still broke out like I usually do. Fortunately, my acne wasn't as flared and painful. Which resulted in less scars. I was really happy and I actually felt like I had a chance at clearing my skin for good. I guess it gave me a sense of hope. Then a couple weeks later my skin looked like this...

As you can see in the picture a lot of my acne vanished. Of course, I still had a few pimples here and there. But overall the results were miraculous. Even my marks were improving. Not to mention the texture of my skin was a lot smoother, which also helped the performance of my makeup. 

If you have acne, then this mask is a must have. It's not a pernamnet solution but it will help out your skin while your prone to breakouts. After I ran out I started to breakout again. So it's obvious that acne will come back if you don't continue to use it. Keep in mind though, Glamglow never did claim to cure our acne forever. The claim is to treat it, which it did! It's the only thing that has helped my acne this much. So in my eyes it's a miracle in a beautiful little jar. Yeah, it's expensive but it's totally worth it. If you can afford it, buy it.

Warning

There is one draw back(kind of) from this product. The first time you use this face mask, it might break you out. Keep in mind that all the impurities are deep down in your pores and  Glamglows face mask goes all the way to the bottom of your pore. So naturally, it's going to bring everything up to the surface. The majority of the impurities will be washed away but some might be stuck at the surface. If you breakout, don't freak out. Give it another week and your skin will be a lot healthier,  as well as a lot clearer. Good things take time. 

Does it work on blackheads? 

Surprisingly, I don't suffer from blackheads that much. I have a few but not enough to show remarkable before and after photos. However, I can say that it does remove them. When the job was needed, Glamglows supermud clearing treatment mask was my best bet. It removed every single one and left behind nice smooth skin. 

Using the face mask

When I first tried this mask I was blown away by the smell. It was so strong and I couldn't believe I would have to rub this all over my face twice a week. Oddly enough, I actually grew to love the smell. It kind of reminds me of black licorice but with a twist. If you're sensitive to scents you my not like it but it would be a tragedy if the scent got in the way. It's too good to be passed on just because of the scent. Maybe it will grow on you like it did me? 

Applying the face mask was really easy. It glided on my face with little to no effort and stayed put without dripping down onto my shirt. It's a rather creamy but thin formula. To me, it's just right. 

The mask definitely had a tingly feeling but it wasn't severe. It actually felt rather nice. It was probably just the acne treatment doing what it does best. Fighting my breakouts. 

After a few minutes it starts to dry. My skin would feel tight in some areas but there were still some wet spots that took longer to dry. I didn't turn to stone all at once. The highest parts of my face usually dried before the deeper parts. So I didn't have to sit like a statue during the whole purifying process. Towards the end is when my skin felt really tight and clean. During a typical use, I would wear it for 15-20 minutes. 

When it was time to rinse off the mask, it mostly rinsed off with ease. The only places where the mask was hard to remove was around the acne a currently had. Sometimes I had to lightly scrub with a damp washcloth. No worries, it didn't irritate my skin. 

When the mask was completely smooth I had a moment like no other. My skin could breath. I don't mean the feeling that we get after we wash our face and we're like"Ah, that feels nice". No, my skin could actually breath for the first time. I really wish I could go back to the moment. It felt better than mastering winged eyeliner for the first time. 

Overall Thoughts

The first thing that comes to my mind is you need it in your life. Actually, your skin needs it in its life. It's expensive but WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY! Unfortunately, I can't afford to buy it everytime I need it but I would if I could. It helps problematic skin so well. It's the best thing I have ever tried for my skin and I have been trying new products since elementary school(I'm now 21). If you're looking for something to help your acne, try it. It's the only recommendation I truly depend on. 

Size comparison 

Almost empty jar

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Have you tried Glamglows supermud clearing treatment mask?

Are you going to try it?

Let me know in the comments below!

Using foundation to conceal acne? Right or wrong?

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A lot of the time I see people ask which foundations cover up acne the best. I'll admit that I'm guilty of this question as well but i now know better. The truth is, none of them do. I know there are a lot of great "full coverage" foundations available and it seems as if all of the beauty gurus have flawless skin just by using foundation. But let me be clear, that's not the best way to go about concealing your imperfections. Why would we have concealer if foundation covered everything? That's concealers job. Foundation is meant to even out your skin tone not hide imperfections. 

I know it sucks. It would be great to have a foundation that covered every single imperfection with just one layer. But as of 2014 I haven't heard of any foundation that can get that job done. Well unless you cake your foundation on. Which brings me to the point I'm trying to make. You can't expect to have flawless looking skin when you apply a million layers of foundation over your breakouts. Everything's just going to look muddy and bring more attention to that area. It's best to put a medium coverage foundation on and spot conceal with a full coverage concealer. 

For so long I was guilty of applying layer after layer of foundation. I swear for the longest time I didn't even have concealer in my collection. Nowadays, I apply one layer of foundation and conceal any of my imperfections. Which if you know anything about me, unfortunately you know that's pretty much my whole face. I know it seems like using a lot of foundation on my face would be the same as concealer in the same spots. However it's not. Concealer is meant to cover what foundation cant. So naturally your going to use less product and that means there will be less of a cake-y look. 

Still don't know the difference between foundation and concealer?

Foundation is used for evening out your skin tone, right? Have you noticed when you apply one layer of foundation that most of your redness is gone but major marks are still visible? That's completely ok! The foundation is doing it's job and the heavy duty is left to the concealer. Concealer on the other hand is meant to cover anything that foundation can't. Such as redness, acne, rosacea, etc..

   If you follow this simple rule then your complexion will look so much better. There will be less cake face and natural looking foundation will be visible. 

Plus, this takes away the never ending hunt of trying to find that perfect foundation that will hide everything. I guarantee you that it will never make its way into your life. So why waste your money and time when you can go out and buy a full coverage concealer?  Just keep in mind that NOTHING will hide raised lesions. Yes, the redness can be neutralized but the bump will always poke through. That's ok though. It happens to everyone and no one cares if you have a pimple. So don't stress out if you can't get your makeup to look perfect. Not everyone can be Jaclyn Hill. 

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Do you agree? Everyone has their own opinion. 

Let me know in the comments below! 

Thanks for reading, TaylorPie. 

Living with acne and/ or other insecurities

Living with acne 

Who knew something so little can have such a big impact on your life. It starts out small, then grows and grows into this huge life damaging experience. People will say, "oh you look fine" or "there's really not that much, don't be embarrassed". Little did they know acne was/is a major factor in my life. It's all I saw when I looked at myself in the mirror and it's all I thought about when people saw me. Others with beautiful skin just don't understand how depressing a face full of acne can be. How could they? It's tormenting when people judge your blemishes and they don't experience that. Not only do they judge my acne but I judged it myself. I was always criticizing myself and I hate it. Yes, people can be overweight, have crooked teeth or whatever else someone may not like about themselves but acne is a whole other level of depression. 

I still remember the first time I actually cried about my breakouts. I was in the fifth grade and it was a Monday morning before school. I knew kids were judging me at school. It's so obvious when your talking to someone and their eyes wonder off to the pesky little pimples on your forehead. I was young and embarrassed. There was this time when I was on the bus and I over heard two boys talking about me. They thought I was asleep and one of them said, " it must suck to have acne like that, if my skin looked like that I think I would kill myself". I didn't say anything. I just kept on acting like I was asleep until I got home. That way they didn't have to see my suicidal skin anymore. Later that evening I went to bed wondering why this was happening to me and not my friends? Well, the next morning my mom came to my room and woke me up. I got up like every other day but that day I took a long, hard look in the mirror. I couldn't believe my face looked like a connect the dots game at my age. So I went and sat on the stairs and cried my eyes out. Of course my mom wondered what was going on and I told her how I felt about my skin. Feeling sorry for me, she told me to follow her to her room and she handed me a bottle of foundation. So I went to the bathroom and I put that liquid confidence on. I haven't stopped using foundation since then. 

No one has seen me without my makeup for seven years. Well, except for my fiancé. Which it took me four years to finally reveal my skin to him(3 yrs ago). It's pathetic, trust me, I know. But I can't help it. Acne is so personal to me and I don't want to share that with anyone. Before you say 'well you're posting it on the internet', that's a whole different situation. No one on the internet is going to judge my skin for the rest of my life. The people I personally know will just see me as a pimple face and not as Taylor anymore. The thought of that is just horrifying and it turns my stomach. Anyways, I'm sure you're wondering how I have managed to pull that off the last seven years. If I go stay the night somewhere then I must know four things- who all will be there that night, how early everyone gets up, who will be the first to the bathroom and if I will have a room to myself. If I don't think any of these four things will work out in my favor, I won't go. I have to be the last one to go to bed and the first to get up. No one can see my acne. I have to have a room to myself because what if they wake up in the middle of the night and look at my face? It's not Halloween all year long! I don't let my family or friends see my makeup free face and I don't plan to. These red dots on my face make me stress about useless things that most people wouldn't even think about. It would be nice to wake up and know that no one is going to stare at your face in disgust. Every night I pray to god that I could have perfect skin like everyone else that's in my life. Of course, that's not gonna happen to me anytime soon. 

 Right after my praying, I think of scenarios in my head. What if someone's in the bathroom before me in the morning? I will have to act like I'm asleep until the coast is clear. Maybe I should just stay up all night so I can conceal my horrifying acne before it's discovered. I think I would rather risk my health than let people see what I try to hide everyday. I can be starving, someone needs the bathroom or maybe I have the flu but it doesn't matter. I MUST rush to the bathroom and spend a hour doing my makeup. I will never experience waking up on Christmas morning with my family or waking up for breakfast with everyone else. I'm stuck with acne and there's nothing I can do about it. I don't even enjoy going outside. I'm sure if you have ance you feel this way, too. Acne is just more noticeable outside and all of the marks turn purple. So I just stay inside all by myself everyday. 

I have always felt this way until this recently. You know how people say you have to love yourself first? Well it's true. I hated myself for so long. It wasn't because I was a bad person but because there was nothing I could do for my skin. Hormonal acne is just one of those things you have to live with and you can't ignore it. So I finally just accepted my acne. Don't get my wrong I still despise it but I can now look at myself in the mirror without focusing on my skin. Behind the funky, infected pores is a girl who wishes it was sociably acceptable to have acne. But to be honest it doesn't have to be. Who cares what people think. I shouldn't let other people hold me back and neither should anyone else. The depression fades when you take away the hate from within yourself. It's like being the person you always wanted to be but yet your still yourself. I know people still judge me but I honestly don't care.  It truly brings happiness into my life. I just hope everyone else with acne can feel the same way I do. 

I always ask myself where I would be if I didn't have acne. I honestly think I would be living a whole other life. I'm furious and grateful at the same time. I wish I could have done the things I wanted to but I also love the things I'm doing now. If it wasn't for acne I'm not sure if I would have a spot in my heart for makeup and I  wouldn't be here on my blog telling you this story. My acne has always been on my bad side but at the same time it created who I am. I understand how insecurities work and I actually want to help people. I know how people feel and I know the right things to say. I now know how to live with the bad and ugly things in life. I still can't go in public without makeup on but I do accept the fact that I have acne. I can also say it has made me a stronger person and I have a different look at life then most people do. Cherish what you love about yourself and grow stronger from the things you hate. Most of all don't judge yourself like I use to. I know it feels like you're alone in the world but you're not. I haven't actually seen anyone with worse skin than mine but I know mines not as bad as other peoples that I see on the internet. So, I love who I am and now it's your turn. Accept what you hate and the hatred will no longer exist. 

 

Oh and for the people who say I shouldn't wear foundation because it's causing my breakouts, it's not. I only wear foundation 1-2 times a week. Besides, it's already confirmed that it's my hormones and genetic factors that cause my breakouts. 

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How do you feel about your acne or other insecurities?

Share your story in the comment section below.

Remember to be nice in the comment section, please! 

Thanks for reading, TaylorPie.