REVIEW: SMASHBOX STUDIO SKIN 15H WEAR HYDRATING FOUNDATION for oily skin??

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PRODUCT

So the product that ill be reviewing today is Studio Skin foundation from Smashbox, durr. It retails for about $62 in Australia at Mecca Maxima and $42 in the US at Smashbox or where ever they sell smashbox products. The foundation comes in a 30ml glass bottle and offers 12 shades ranging from warm fair to deep warm brown. According to smashbox, this foundation hydrates the skin and control's oil with an oil free formula making it good for all skin types. Smashbox also stated that it offers medium to full coverage, its transfer proof, and sweat and humidity resistant.

just a heads up i do have really oily skin and i have tested the foundations performance on my skin and other people (that have dry skin) for a couple of months now so i pretty much know how this foundation works.

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PACKAGING 

This foundation comes in a clear rounded bottle with a black matte pump and a lid as you can see on the image above. It has the typical Smashbox font print on the bottle and as mentioned earlier it comes in a 30ml glass bottle which is standard for liquid foundations. however, for a $62 foundation you should get a lot more product than 30ml. I love that it has a pump and that the lid over it doesn't come off easy so you don't have to worry about dirt going in the foundation, pouring out too much and losing the lid when travelling. The packaging is great but not amazing, it could've been more more fancier in my opinion.

UNDERTONE

the undertone of the foundation is definitely yellow so it may not suit people with pinky undertones unless they tan. This is great with asian skin and or for yellow toned people who have a problem with redness, for its yellow base cancels out the redness on the skin without having to pack on the product. It definitely doesn't make you orange in anyway but still make sure you get the right shade. 

SMELL

The foundation does have scent so its not fragrance free but it's not as noticeable as Smashbox's Liquid Halo foundation. The smell is really subtle  (can't really describe it) and didn't make me drowsy by any chance unlike Mac's studio fix fluid which has a strong chemical smell. once it sets on the skin the scent totally disappears and you will not smell it throughout day so thats a big plus. 

COVERAGE

Smashbox claims that it has a natural  medium to full coverage and that it blurs imperfections. To test it out i firstly used my fingers to see how blendable it is and how much it actually covers and from that test the foundation gave me light to light medium coverage not really full. To get a fuller coverage the best way to apply it is with a normal foundation brush NOT a buffing brush for the foundation is a liquid to powder formula. Buffing the foundation in will exfoliate the skin which can stick to the foundation and cause it to CAKE! tip: apply it downwards and do not, i repeat do not dot your entire face and blend section by section for the foundation can set pretty fast. I was actually disappointed with the coverage of the foundation. Don't get me wrong it can give a full coverage but you do have to use a fair bit of the foundation. I was expecting it to be more full coverage like the Estee Lauder double wear foundation (review coming up) so that was a bit of a let down.

TEXTURE/VISCOSITY
the texture of the liquid foundation is just just like any other foundation, not really thick and not really liquidy. 

FINISH
On any skin type it dries matte so i wouldn't put powder over the entire face maybe just on the T zone to avoid looking too powdery. It kind of tightens the skin a little but it doesn't feel heavy at all so if you have dry skin or very dry skin i still recommend using a moisturiser and a hydrating primer. For really dry skin with a bit of flaking i suggest to exfoliate one a week and using a really hydrating moisturiser underneath because it can highlight dry areas. For people with fine lines and wrinkles, this foundation does make it noticeable due to its matte finish.

COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER PRODUCTS
its fine with powder products like blush, bronzer and highlighters. however for creme products or liquid products it would be harder to blend for the oil controlling property of this foundation can suck up all the moisture from the liquid or cream products making it hard to blend so watch out!

WEAR
I'm actually not that impressed with its staying power. It is meant to stay for at 15 hours but it doesn't even last me for more than 9, i guess that pretty long but I have other foundations that lasts longer. once again i do have really oily skin so that might be the case. I noticed oil seeping through the foundation on my nose after 4 to 5 hours even with an oil controlling primer and powder and after blotting off the oil i noticed it kind of broke up a little on the nose area so thats a total let down.

BEST TO APPLY WITH
normal flat foundation brush, stippling brush and beauty blender (blending sponge)

BEST FOR?
all skin types but mostly combination to oily skin

OVERALL: PRO'S

• oil free
• doesn't break me out
• alright medium coverage
• no flashback from flash photography
• looks fairly natural 
• natural but matte finish
• the shades are natural looking 

CONS

• uses a lot of product to get full full coverage
• can be a little cake when layered twice
• can dry out skin depending on the products underneath
• long wearing but doesnt last for more than 8 hours for oily skin
• can accentuate fine lines
• oil controlling property is moderately good

COMING SOON!!!

ESTEE LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR STAY IN PLACE FOUNDATION

SMASHBOX CC CREAM

REVIEW: SMASHBOX LIQUID HALO HD FOUNDATION

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Welcome to my blog! wooohh! 

Before i get started on the review imma just tell you how "the queen runs the castle". So in my makeup reviews, i like to do it in sections. why? so its easier for you to quickly find what you are looking for instead of reading every single detail that you might not even need. smart right? jks. So i start with introducing the product and its physical properties then i give my opinion on its performance.

LETS START.

note: for a quick summary scroll down to the bottom of the page

PRODUCT

so today I'm gonna do a review on Smashbox's LIQUID HALO HD FOUNDATION. It retails for about $55 at mecca maxima in Australia and it comes in 10 different shades. I've been using this foundation for a few months now and I have been liking it so far, i did notice a few cons on the product but its still amazing. Smashbox claims that it works with all undertones, gives a buildable sheer to medium coverage, long wearing, moisturising, sweat and humidity resistant and gives a natural "lit from within" luminosity. It sounds amazing right? 

PACKAGING

As you can see on the image above, its comes in a clear glass bottle with a black lid and pump. YESS A PUMP! The packaging is quite heavy but not to bad. The print is really simple yet sophisticated and it doesn't look cheap. What i love about the packaging is the pump, i absolutely hate it when amazing foundations don't come with a pump. why? Because it can make you're makeup routine messy especially if you're in a hurry. Another thing i love about the pump is that it dispenses a small amount product, meaning you can never pump out too much of it. Packaging wise, the product is amazing.

UNDERTONE

 Smashbox claims that it works for all undertones but i think it caters more for yellow undertoned people. What i noticed about this foundation is that if you go for a lighter shade than your skin it comes off a bit ashy and if you go too dark it goes a bit muddy which is not a good look so make sure you pick the right shade. To find the perfect shade i suggest you ask for samples of about 3 shades that you think will suit you and try it out in normal light (sunlight) and see which one blends in perfectly and looks natural.

SMELL 

the foundation has a subtle marker ink smell which is not that bad compared to other foundations like mac studio fix which smells like hardcore paint and toxic chemicals. The foundation smell isn't that noticeable unless you actually sniff it like i did and it disappears once you apply it on you're face. 

COVERAGE

It has a buildable sheer to medium coverage like what Smashbox has stated however you do need quite a lot of products to get a medium coverage. I use about 6 pumps for my entire face and from that i get a light medium coverage. I do have un even skin tone and a lot of post acne marks and the foundation does a great job at blurring them out (not covering them so still use concealer).  So coverage is alright, however its not my go to foundations if I'm in a hurry just because i still have to use a fair bit of concealer.

without foundation

with foundation

TEXTURE 

The foundation feels really light and whipped. By whipped i mean its airy but not so much as a mousse foundation. On the skin it feels really smooth and blending is quite easy. It doesn't smooth out your skin like other foundations would, it just copies the exact texture of the skin to get a really natural finish. In my opinion the best way to apply this foundation is with a stippling brush because it makes the product blend seamlessly in to the skin. DO NOT use a sponge to apply this because you will just waste a ton of product.

FINISH

The finish depends on your skin type really, I've used this on people with dry skin and compared it with my skin (which is oily) and i saw different finishes. On dry skin it has a satin finish with a bit of "lit from within glow" which looks really natural and beautiful. On oily skin its very luminous and dewy but a little bit of powder can turn it down if you don't like that finish. It doesn't have any oil controlling properties so if you have oily skin make sure use an oil controlling primer and a finishing powder. Also i did notice that it moisturises the skin so this would be great for people with dry skin.

COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER PRODUCTS

everything glides on beautifully and doesn't cake when applying cream products or powders.

WEAR

with a primer and a setting powder

it lasts for about 8 to 12 hours of wear without it breaking up on the T zone if you have oily skin and for dry skin it lasts for 10 to 14 hours max but i don't think anyone would wear foundation for more than 12 hours on a normal day. This foundations is best worn during winter times for oily skin because it has the tendency to slip off during hot temperatures.

without a primer or a setting powder

It lasts about 6 hours max by itself without any a primer or an oil controlling powder for people with oily skin and about 8 to 9 hours for people with dry skin. 

BEST FOR?

all skin types especially those people who do not need that much coverage and people with dry skin due to its hydrating formula. It never broke me out or irritated my skin and i have sensitive acne prone skin so thats a massive plus. 

OTHER THINGS I FORGOT TO MENTION

Its photographs beautifully and makes you look flawless in photo's. It is water resistant so if you drink water and the water goes on your face the makeup stays exactly the same. it is best use with Smashbox halo powder.

OVERALL: PROS 

• lightweight 
• blends seamlessly 
• buildable 
• doesn't break me out
• moisturizing 
• luminous 
• sweat resistant 
• looks natural and looks amazing in photo's

 CONS

• needs a lot to create a medium coverage
• lasting power isn't that great

would i re buy it? YES but ill only use it on those special occasions where there would be a lot of picture taking. 

i hope you guys enjoyed this review! i will be posting up more reviews soon so be ready.  Comment down below for any suggestions or questions and ill respond to them as soon as possible :D

these are the links where you can get the foundation online 

US/CAN

http://www.smashbox.com/

AUS

http://www.meccacosmetica.com.au

Whats makeup.kiki all about? The introduction.

i'm kiki and welcome to my new makeup blog. YAY! I'll start off with the  obvious stuff, this blog is going to contain makeup tips, makeup looks, reviews on makeup products and all that jazz! Well what separates me from millions and milllions of makeup bloggers? nothing extravagant really. I'm just here to share my opinion on products that did or did not work for me and to show how i do things with my skin type to hopefully help other makeup lovers in their makeup journey. Let me do all the dirty work for you and tell you everything about certain products so you don't end up splurging you're money on something that may not work for you. ;)

MY SKIN TYPE

if you're wondering I'm a yellow undertoned person with sensitive combination to oily skin. i'm extremely oily on the T zone and normal every where else. Most of you know that wiTH oil comes ACNE! *dun dun duuunnnn* that word gives everyone nightmares i know! I'm pretty fair (about NC25 in MAC and 1W1 bone for estee lauder) and with my skin colour and skin type its hard to find the perfect makeup that will not fade, oxidise, cake and especially makeup that will not break me out. Good thing a found a few of makeup brands that cater for people with my skin type and colour (i found out the hard way). At least you don't have to buy every single foundation out there like i did and waste money on something that may ruin your skin, you can just refer to my blogs. I'm not saying my blogs are perfect and you should follow what i do to the T, just use my blogs to guide you :D 

thanks for reading the introduction to my blog and watch out for new blogs in a couple of days. feel free to comment suggestions on what you want to see on my blogs and hope you're having an amazing day :D 

-kiki

COMING UP NEXT
1. Reviews and comparisons on all of Smashbox's foundations, comparing their BB cream to their CC cream and their LIQUID HALO HD FOUNDATION to their STUDIO SKIN 15 hour wear foundation.

COMING UP SOON
1. Reviews and a comparison between two Estèe Lauder foundations which are the Double wear (stay in place) foundation and their Maximum Coverage foundation.