Free Sephora Classes | Flawless Foundation with ColorIQ Tips+ Tricks!

Hey Guys!

I recently attended a Free makeup class at my local Sephora. Check out and schedule a class HERE. They have different ones all the time but the one I tried out was the Flawless Foundation Class with ColorIQ matching. I didn't know what to expect so before I went I did my morning skincare routine and went to the store without any makeup.

Since the class was on a Sunday we got to go into the store 2 hours before it was open which was amazing. This helps the staff focus only on you and it is also nice and quiet. When I went in they took me over to their ColorIQ station to color match me to a foundation. The ColorIQ is a little gadget that scans certain parts of your face and then tells you what shade you match with in every brand of the store. It's amazing! The associate also asked what my skin concerns are and what kind of foundations I like to wear. I told her I have oily skin and I like a medium to full coverage foundation. 

My associate then told me to try the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation. It is a Long wearing photo ready matte foundation and retails for $48. Check it out HERE.  She then took me over to our set up. We each had our own station that included a mirror, foundation brush, concealer brush, Beauty Blender and other makeup tools. I was really impressed. Everything was clean and the staff was super friendly.

While we waited for everyone else she brought me over the Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb Moisturizer which retails for $38. Check it out HERE. This moisturizer is good for all skin types and is a lightweight gel cream texture. She then brought over the Kate Somerville Goat Milk De- Puffing Eye Balm which retails for $38. Check it out HERE . This Eye cream is cool because it comes in a balm like stick. It is super cooling and felt amazing! Next she brought me the Cover FX Mattifying Primer With Anti Acne Treatment which retails for $38. Check it out HERE.  This went on super creamy and is long lasting. She then got me the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer which retails for $29. Check it out HERE. The final product she got for me was the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder which retails fro $38. Check it out HERE. This powder is silky and lightweight with a matte finish. 

Once I sat down we got to work. They first showed us how to apply our moisturizer. They said to work it from the center moving hands in a butterfly wings motion and then working it into our forehead. The moisturizer I tried was super lightweight and hydrating. I wish it had SPF in it though since I only like to use day moisturizers with SPF. They told us to make sure that we not put the moisturizer too close to the eye area because it will interfere with our eye cream. Next we put on our eye cream. I usually only put eye cream on at night but they said it is important to put on during the day to help with under eye concealers. They said to not apply it too close to the lash line because this can cause irritation. You want to use a half pea sized and your ring fingers to apply. Ring fingers have the lightest touch so this is perfect for your delicate eye area. The Eye Balm I used was amazing and felt so cooling and refreshing. It also sank in super fast and didn't feel heavy under my eyes.

After skincare we moved on to priming. They told us to focus the primer on the center of the face and move outwards. I liked this primer because it didn't feel super slippery. I also learned that you can use more than one primer depending on your skin concerns. So if you have an oily T zone and large pores on your cheeks you can use a mattifying primer on the T zone and a pore smoothing one on the cheeks. You want to make sure that your foundation and primer both have the same base as well. This meaning if you use an oil based primer you must use an oil based foundation or a water based primer with a water based foundation. Water and Oil repel each other so if you mix them the foundation separates and melts off. I never knew this and I thought this was a great tip!
 

We then moved on to the foundation application. They dampened our BeautyBlenders and taught us how to apply foundation with it. I have never used my BeautyBlender for foundation or damp so I was super excited to learn. They told us to apply a small amount of foundation on the backs of our hands and dip the blender into it with the wide side and work from the center outwards. This will help you get coverage where you need it most and avoid the harsh neckline we sometimes get. She said to dot and roll the blender. Since it is wet it sheers out the coverage a bit giving a more natural finish and helps the sponge not soak up excess product so you don't waste it. I tried this and loved it! It did take a bit longer than using a brush but the results were so natural and not cakey at all! I would have preferred a little more coverage but I just used concealer and that helped alot. The damp BeautyBlender also felt really cool and refreshing on the face. 

After foundation we took our concealer and dotted it under the eyes and around the nose. When applying the concealer you don't want to apply it too close to the lash line because it will cake and crease up. Application of concealer depends on the formula. I was told the NARS one can be applied with a blender, a brush or the fingers. I chose to use the blender. It did crease a tiny bit but it might be because I didn't set it right away. It was super creamy and blended out great. 

We then learned to set our face. They taught us there are 2 types of powders, Setting and Finishing. Finishing powders contain an ingredient that has silica so nothing moves. So if you try to add any product over top it won't work. It also can have a white cast in pictures. Setting powder is what we used because it can be used at any time and doesn't cause a white cast. They told us to use a big fluffy brush and instead of brushing it all over the face we should pat it. This gives more coverage, helps diminish pores and smooths out any uneven foundation lines. 

Since our class size was smaller they let us try out the new Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Splits Shimmering Perfecter Mineral Blush Duo which retails for $38. Check it out HERE.  One side had a blush and the other was a highlighter. I don't normally wear blush or highlighter because I never really learned how to apply them. They told us to use our powder brush for the blush and only take a small amount and tap off the excess. They told us to smile and apply to the apples of our cheeks and up our temples for a more natural blush. They said a good rule is to put 2 fingers between your nose and mouth and don't apply blush this close. If you apply too much blush or get a harsh line use your blender to smooth it out and sheer it out. Next for highlighter they told us to use a smaller fluffy brush to apply on top of the cheekbones. Mine was a bit streaky and looked like a straight line so I am not sure what happened.

After the class we received a bag of samples and were aloud to shop in the store till it opened. This was great because I had a chance to ask the employees about other classes and other products. I want to go to the brow class next month.

Overall I LOVED the class! I learned so much and can't wait to use the tricks I learned with my own makeup.  I didn't purchase any of the things I used because I wanted to try the techniques that I learned on the foundations that I already own to see if it worked. 

Sign up HERE

Have you ever attended a Sephora Class? Which one? 

XOX Chan

Milani 2-in-1 Foundation+Concealer Review!

Hi Guys! Spring is coming so that means makeup companies are launching new products. Most of the time I see that the spring brings luminous/dewy products and bright colored eye shadows, blushes, and lipsticks. I love my bright lips but I prefer a matte face. Partly because I have oily skin and the other part because I just like the flawless matte skin look.

I saw this foundation in my CVS and was instantly intrigued. It boasted that it was a 2-in-1 meaning it has enough coverage where you wouldn't need a concealer. It also claims to be medium to full coverage, oil-free, long lasting, sweat proof, and water resistant. Sign me up! I chose my shade which is 01 Creamy Vanilla and went to work.

This retails for around $9.99 at 1 fl. oz.,which is normal for most foundations. The packaging is high end looking with gold and black. It also has a pump which is a must have for me when it comes to foundations. I use about a pump and a half for my entire face. The foundation's consistency is pretty thick. A little definitely goes a long way. It has a yellow base which was a bit too yellow on me. My skin leans more on the warm neutral side so it worked but if you have a pink undertone this wouldn't be for you. I used an angled top kabuki brush to apply it few times and a softer blending brush others. Both gave me the same coverage.

Check out my video below for a more in depth review.

Overall this foundation didn't wow me. I would say it is medium coverage. If you put too much on to try and get it to be full coverage it gets very cakey especially around the eyebrow/eye area. It also isn't long lasting, at least on me. I do have oily skin but since it is winter I only get slightly oily throughout the day. I also work a desk job so I don't move around a lot. By the end of my 8 hours the foundation has caked up and gone "goopy" around my nose, eyes, and brows. It transfers like crazy and if I wear sunglasses they leave a line where they "pushed" the foundation out of the way.

I do set my face with a powder and spray but this still happens. I also blow my nose a few times throughout the day and it transfers onto the tissue instantly. I know it doesn't say that it is oil controlling or for oily skin but I would assume if it is water resistant and sweat proof it would at least have some staying power on oily skin. It gave decent coverage but I still had to go in with concealer on red spots. Check out my pictures above to see it in action. It does look great in photos once it is on but as the day goes on it get shinier and shinier.

Sadly I will be returning this. That is a perk at purchasing from CVS. Let me know if you have tried this and what your thoughts on it were.

XOX Chan

Maybelline Dream Soft Matte Hydrating Foundation Review!

I have been seeing this foundation EVERYWHERE! I love to try any foundation that will make me matte as I love matte skin. I also have oily skin so I don't like to add anything to my routine that might exaggerate this. I bought this product at Ulta and tested it a few times. See my full review in the video below. Spoiler Alert: I returned it. 

 

 

Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you. This product does not claim to be oil controlling which might be why I didn't like it. I recommend this for people with dry to normal skin who want to stay hydrated but still want a demi matte finish. 

Get the product HERE: http://goo.gl/r9ANgU