REVIEW: Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation

Last month I began my blogging journey with The Hunt for Perfect Skin , and now the hunt continues with: Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation 16hr!

As you may have guessed from my previous posts, I have oily, acne prone skin. So not only do I want a foundation that will hide scars and spots, but that will keep oils at bay, and not induce further breakouts.

Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation is specifically designed for my skin type, as it has a full, long-lasting coverage, and a matte finish. The coverage is so good that I use it as both a foundation and a concealer; it hides all my flaws giving me a nice big confidence boost! Apparently it can even cover tattoos, however, since I don’t have any, I’m not speaking from personal experience. But having said this, the coverage isn’t cakey or uncomfortable to wear (as long as you don’t over apply). While having a matte finish, it still looks natural, and even adds a touch of brightness to the face, without looking too glowy.

Unfortunately this foundation only comes in a range of 5 shades, and they’re all on the darker side, so  I don’t know if I’ll be able to wear it in the winter when my skin is lighter. I have the second lightest shade, 25- Nude, and it’s just a tad too dark, but it looks fine as long as I blend it down my neck. Also, I would not recommend this foundation to people with dry to normal skin, as it tends to cling to dry patches of skin. Even with my oily skin type, I need to make sure I’ve properly exfoliated and moisturized before applying it, because it will cling to and highlight dry areas.

As for application, because it’s so highly pigmented, a little goes a long way. However, because the formula is made to reduce oils, it can be hard to spread. I’ve tried using my hands when applying, because it warms the foundation up making it easier to spread around. But lately I’ve been using my Real Techniques buffing brush for the all over application and then my Real Techniques detailer brush for concealing, and I’ve found that this works really well. Also, after application, I always set it with powder, otherwise the foundation will slide all around. Apart from getting a a little shiny, this foundation lasts all day!

So what’s the verdict? Overall, I really love this foundation, and it’s perfect when you’re needing to control oily skin, and want that extra amount of coverage.I’ll definitely be repurchasing this product!

Have you tried this foundation? If so, what did you think?

x B

Sea Salt Scrub

It was the last few weeks of winter and I was reminiscing wistfully about my time living in the Northern Beaches of Australia. Days spent floating in the pool, lying on the beach, or relaxing on a café patio along the beach, my skin feeling crisp from the sun, sipping on a flat white. Those were the days. So there I was at the tail end of Canadian winter, looking longingly through my Australia 2010 iPhoto album, when I was shocked to see how clear and healthy my skin looked. I began to question why that would be so, and came up with a list of possibilities, the key one being the salty ocean air, since sea salt is known for reducing inflammation, detoxifying, and softening the skin. This led me to wonder if washing my face with sea salt would clear up my complexion, and from what I read, it sounded like a highly promising option.

As I mentioned in my last post, this was during my finals at uni, and my skin was in pretty bad shape. So I began exfoliating my face with finely ground sea salt almost every day, and the improvements have been exactly as I had hoped. Pimples healed up within 1-2 days, redness was reduced, and my skin was left feeling soft and moisturized.

Here are the steps I take when exfoliating with sea salt:

1. Wet face and pour a heaping teaspoon of sea salt into hand.
2. Apply all over the face and exfoliate by moving hands in small circles for 10-15 seconds.
3. Rinse off the excess.

I would recommend doing this in the shower, as it can get a bit messy otherwise. I have had really good results with this, and surprisingly, my skin feels hydrated and silky after the exfoliation, even before I put on moisturizer.

Now I would much rather pack up and spend the rest of my life in Sydney, all for the sake of my skin. However, since that’s currently not an option, I will settle for a sea salt scrub.

x B