Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation Review

Bourjois is a french brand, often found in the UK and has made its way over to Shoppers Drug Mart's here in Canada. I picked up this foundation a month or so ago, it is the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation in shade 52 Vanilla. They have a small shade range of about 6 colours, with this being the second lightest in the range. It has a yellow undertone and beautiful fruity & floral scent. It is actually one of the only light yellow undertone foundations I could find in a drugstore, although it doesn't come with a typical drugstore price..

Bourjois Healthy Mix is priced at $29 CAD, and is only found at select Shoppers Drug Marts. Some of its claims or benefits are...

- 16 hour, radiance-boosting even revived complexion.

- Vitamin-rich frug therapy, instant anti-fatigue.

- Light coverage, Semi-matte finish

- Hypoallergenic, lets skin breathe. Dermatologically tested.

Read more product details and see ingredients list here.

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Above is me with only moisturizer and primer on the left, and Bourjois Serum Gel Foundation on the right. In my opinion, it delivers a dewy-finish, and for oily or combination skin types I would definitely suggest using a mattifying powder to set the foundation. It matches my skin tone perfectly and is great as an everyday wear foundation. The coverage is definitely light (as they claim), but it can slightly be built up to almost medium(?) if you use a beauty blender. I personally, like to use my Sigma F80 to apply this all over (I use probably 1.5-2 pumps), and add a bit of concealer under my eyes, and on the cheeks or any problem spots. I HAVE to go over it with a mattifying or setting powder. I dislike the shine it leaves on my t-zone (I typically prefer matte foundations). 

The foundation is definitely breathable and hasn't broken me out as far as I can tell. The scent is again, fruity and florally. As for the lasting power, even with a mattifying powder it does show oil through my t-zone after about a few hours, but I can get it to last longer with a light moisturizer like La Roche Posay's Effaclar Mat. It will definitely not be lasting you the claimed 16-hours, but it is fine for a typical day. I would not recommend this for oily skin however, for combination (like mine) it is do-able with a powder.

Swatches, and Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel FD in 52 Vanilla worn with concealer, bronzer.

I love that this foundation comes with a pump and I will continue to use it for everyday coverage. I do prefer to use a concealer with it however, just because it has a hard time covering redness and will reveal blemishes in a few hours on me. A good, mattifying primer and setting powder is key for this foundation! I am unsure whether I would purchase again just because it has a bit of a high-end price ($30) and I do find myself using quite a bit of product.

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Nivea In-Shower Body Milk Review

I'm sure the name of this product speaks for itself, an in-shower body milk (lotion) that is designed to moisturize your skin and rinsed off, just before you exit the shower. I was super excited when I saw that a full size of this was included in my Spark Sessions goody bag, quite a few months back. Unfortunately, although it is a fun and interesting product, I would not purchase it once I run out.

There are 3 variations of this in-shower moisturizer, Hydrating (Normal to Dry Skin), Smoothing (Dry Skin), and Nourishing (Very Dry Skin). I have here the 'Nourishing for Very Dry Skin'. The texture is much like a light lotion, has a regular 'nothing special' scent, and is quite slippery. The bottle actually warns that it may make the tub slippery, which is very true! In which case I would not recommend this for the elderly. Nivea's In-Shower Body Milk is such a fun and interesting product, it is fun to use the first few times, but in the end I found it a bit tedious because I would forget to use it. I also didn't notice much of a difference in the moisture level of my skin and for really dry skin, I'm sure you would have to use a moisturizer after the shower anyways. I do believe I feel a slight moisturization but nothing to replace the effects of traditional moisturizers. It does have Almond Oil which is probably one of the only beneficial ingredients on the ingredient list. 

Overall, this is quite the idea, fun to use, although a bit gimmicky and overpriced. I would say it is definitely something you should try out once (but wait for a sale/coupon first!) and who knows, maybe you might like it? Everyone's skin is different but mine definitely sees more of a benefit from moisturizing after a shower. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation Review

Lately I've been on a bit of a foundation craze.. trying to find that perfect, everyday foundation. I came across this one at a Hudson's Bay counter and picked up a sample because it seems to be well liked by many bloggers and vloggers.

Of course, this 100% isn't an 'everyday foundation'. Estee Lauder's Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup is designed to resist transfer with 15-hour staying power, stay in place through all types of activity, and be lightweight and won't clog pores.

Botton Line: I have a severe love/hate relationship with this foundation.

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First of all, the good things: its claim of being a medium-buildable coverage is very true. You can do 2 layers or go over problem spots to get a pretty flawless coverage. I use either a Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush or a wet Beauty Blender for the best results. The staying power is great and it is very transfer-resistant, something I NEED for times when you know you're going to be hugging people.. It is literally the only foundation I've yet found that will last all day without even needing a touch up, and the most it needed was just a light powder. It stayed put on my nose, which I typically find foundations slide off of easily. The shade 1W2 Sand, the second lightest in the Warm category is absolutely perfect for my yellow undertones and there are so many other shades that it will be hard not to find your perfect match.

The foundation looks so flawless from a bit of a distance.. but, this is where the problems start! It does accentuate problem areas and dry spots/flakiness, so up close these can be more noticeable. Exfoliation will help but ultimately if you have dry skin you for sure want to test this out before purchasing. 

Double Wear's lasting power is so good that it becomes difficult to actually take off at night! I'd recommend not to bother wasting your trusty Micellar cleansing water and instead use an oil-based makeup remover for this one. The foundation does leave my skin quite dry after removing. And the major problem is that I noticed it clogs my pores and causes small pimples across my face everytime I wear it.

Overall, I can overlook the flaws due to the awesome coverage and flawless finish it gives me. But I cannot overlook the fact that it doesn't work well with my skin and causes pimples/clogged pores. However, I have seen that this is not the case with everyone.. it really depends on your skin type and how sensitive it is. I would definitely recommend giving this foundation a try especially if you can get your hands on a sample and are looking for something flawless, transfer resistant and offers a huge shade range. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup/Foundation is avail. at Sephora at a pretty standard price for a high-end foundation of $44 CAD.