Top 3 Drugstore Foundations for Dry Skin

This time last year, I was a proud supporter of tinted moisturizers and BB creams. I tended to shy away from foundations because my first encounter  with them, more than 5 years ago ended in an inexperienced, dry, cakey, overly-done up mess I had no intention of repeating. I made many mistakes here, from the product I chose to the application I attempted. When I started to get more into make up and was ready to dip my toe into the pool of available foundations, I didn't want to make the same mistakes again. I did a lot of research, made a choice based on my skin type and tone, and I tried almost every brush I owed. Now, a year later, I come to you all with the fruits of my labour.

In terms of organization, these are going to be in order of coverage, from the lightest to the heaviest amount. I like all three about the same but I do tend to use one more than the others, and I'll let you know which one at the end! Now, on to the top three.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation

This is a gel based, light coverage foundation with skin brightening properties. The texture of the product is very thin and this helps to give you a very natural looking finish. It's almost comparable to a high coverage tinted moisturizer. 

The first and most obvious benefit is also a drawback, depending on your skin tone. Being of the super pale variety, this is the first foundation I've tried whose lightest shade (51 Vanille Clair) option actually matches my face without requiring a powder foundation for blending. For someone with a darker skin tone, this might make it hard to find one that matches. This product is marketed as a serum foundation (as opposed to their new Healthy Mix Foundation which doesn't have lasting skin effects) which means that it promises to make your skin more radiant after just 4 weeks of use. I suppose it might, though how one measures percentage change in skin radiance is outside my current skill set so I'll just say that although I have noticed my skin seeming more radiant, it is just as likely that I've fallen victim to good marketing. Whatever the case may be, it does hydrate my skin and keep a dewy finish, which is a must for me.  The lasting power is quite good as well,  I can confirm up to 10 hours when worn with a translucent powder however I have yet to wear it for the 16 hours it claims to last. I don't really know who would wear a light coverage foundation for 16 hours, but I suppose it's a matter of opinion. I have heard complaints about the lack of SPF but I like wearing this foundation when photos are going to be taken and would prefer not to have that SPF ghost face. If choose to wear this in the day time, I'll apply a moisturizer with SPF underneath. Problem solved!

All in all, this is a beautiful foundation and the one I've been reaching for most this month.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

This foundation also promises a skin brightening glow finish but has a more foundation-y feel. The texture is a bit thicker and less runny than the Bourjois. It also doesn't have any long-term benefits. The coverage is light but can be built up to a nice medium without losing the natural-looking finish. This brand also has a small option for shades, with only 6 to choose from, and the lightest is a bit too dark for my skin tone. 

It's a great foundation for the summertime when I have a bit of a tan and even more so because it contains SPF 15. If you look closely at the bottle, you'll see a very fine glitter but when applying it to the skin, the shimmer does not show up more than to make your face look dewy-no glitter ball effects here! As with the Bourjois foundation, this is made for dry skin and it helps to keep your face moisturized and not looking dry or cakey throughout the day. The lasting power is pretty good, it will last me all day when applied with some translucent powder around my T-zone where I can lose a bit of make up throughout a long day. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for a night out unless you know there will be no photos taken because of that trusty SPF. It also has a really fresh and yummy scent, which helps you to feel awake when you apply it.

Another lovely foundation, this time for a sunny day when you may or may not want a little more coverage.

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation

Finally, a slightly higher coverage foundation. The Dream Smooth Mousse is Maybelline's dry skin formulation of the Dream Matte Mousse that oilier skinned individuals rave about. This foundation has a creamy, smooth texture-as the name implies-and can be applied really easily with your fingers. While the finish isn't matte, I wouldn't exactly call it dewy either, it leaves your face looking fresh and moisturized though, so that's a plus.

The coverage is buildable from medium to a pretty high coverage and there is no SPF so this is a perfect foundation for a night out when you want a more flawless look. I also like to wear this foundation when filming because it looks great on camera. It has an upper hand over the other two because the line has 10 colours to choose from that encompass more skin tones. It is meant to hydrate your face for a full 14 hours (I can verify that it stays moisturizing for about 10, I don't generally recommend wearing a foundation for longer than that without re-application) and it has a good lasting power if you powder it a little. What I like best about this product is that it gives a high coverage without being too obvious that you're wearing a high coverage foundation (if that makes sense!) I hate it when I find a foundation that is meant to give my face a flawless look but upon application looks all cakey and obviously fake on my face. Not a particularly flattering look.

This is definitely my go-to foundation for a night out when I want my face to look perfect.

Those were my top 3! I do tend to wear the Bourjois more on a typical day because I love the finish and it's really easy to work with. Also, it matches my skin almost perfectly at the moment. I love the other two equally well, though for different occasions.

What do you all think? Have you tried any of these before? Or, if not, what are your favourites?

xo Dani

A Day at...The Naked Statue Park?!

Living in a country so far north of the equator has its drawbacks, including long, dark winters and streets covered in ice BUT when summer does eventually peak out its bright little head, you can bet we all jump at the opportunity! One thing I do appreciate about Norwegians is they seem to love being outside and when the sun shines, they don their trendiest clothes and flock to parks with picnics and blankets. Honestly, I felt like I was in a Renoir painting.

We ate a lunch and when it started to get too cloudy to lay on the grass and too windy to play badminton, we walked around. Since we were at the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo, AKA the Naked Statue Park, walking around is always interesting. And, considering the abundance of nude statues, I'm always surprised by the large number of parents wandering about with their young, seemingly unfazed, children. Makes me wonder if all this North American shying away from nudity is for protection of children or, more realistically, for adults who don't know how to handle it. Regardless of your opinions on the matter, I should warn you that the next few pictures have some full statue nudity so continue at your own risk ;)

I've been to this park so many times, I feel like I know every statue's story personally, but that doesn't stop me from marveling at the amazing detail in each individual face and all the emotion depicted there. Not to mention that the statues are life sized if not larger, you can almost imagine them walking around at night when nobody's around, Night at the Museum style!

I hope you enjoy these lifestyle type blog posts and they inspire you to explore your own cities and see what they have to offer! I would highly recommend taking a stroll through Vigeland Park if you ever find yourself in this part of Norway.

xo Dani

Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer Review

I have to admit that, in the past, face primers were a step that I purposely skipped in my makeup routine. Some were really oily and made my face feel like it needed to be washed again, others made my already dry skin feel like it was covered in a powdery film. Whatever they promised to do, I could not reconcile the supposed benefits with the obvious drawbacks and so I never got past the sample phase, of which the majority remained barely half used. This all changed when I heard about Nivea's take on the concept...

As part of their Daily Essentials line, the primer actually comes in 2 different formulas (already a step forward  from other, one cream fits all skin types primers!), one for normal and combination skin, another for dry and sensitive skin. I have dry and combination skin so I fell somewhere in between the two but my skin isn't what I would consider sensitive and I've been more likely to break out in my "combination zones" from overly moisturizing creams, so I went for first option. It does have the smell of a Nivea face cream, although I assume the sensitive skin formula would forgo a scent, but this doesn't bother me in the least.

My first impression was that the actual product container was much smaller than the box made it appear. I have no idea why such a large box was necessary, it was one of the tallest compared to other Nivea face creams but that's between the designers and the marketers, I suppose. In all other ways, I quite like the packaging; the jar is made of glass and so it has more weight to it and gives a more high end feel. The blue of the lid is somehow refreshing, something I enjoy in the mornings. Minor box size complaint aside, I actually think the 50ml is a perfect amount and will last me a long time.

I turned it upside down so you could see the consistency. Unlike some other primers, this one has a gel consistency and is not runny at all. I think the gel-ness also helps it to absorb as quickly as it does (as for how quickly...I would say it's about as long as it takes me to make a good cup of tea!). On its own, it gives my skin a fresh look, but the real benefit is how smoothly my foundation applies on top of it. I guess because it has moisturizer in it as well as primer-y ingredients, it covers my pores and fine lines and allows my make up to sit happily on top rather than sink in. I've heard some people complain that it doesn't have SPF but I tend to wear it more in the evenings and nights out to keep my makeup on so I prefer not to have the typical sunscreen ghost face in photos. If I do wear it during the day, I'll pair it with a foundation that already has SPF...problem solved!

As far as the product goes, I am a huge fan! And for 4£? I mean really, why not?

Have any of you used this primer and loved it? Hated it? Or is there another primer that has stolen your heart? Let me know!

xo Dani

Essie Turquoise and Caicos | Polish of the Week

I wanted to make this opportunity to rave about my absolute favourite nail polish for spring. Turquoise and Caicos by Essie definitely checks all the boxes.

This polish is opaque after just 2 coats and has an amazing lasting power. With a topcoat, it will go strong for over a week-I tend to remove it because my nails grow out rather than any chipping problems. Now enough about the awesome formulation, the colour is fantastic and right on trend for Spring and Summer. I've heard that Revlon makes a really good dupe, if you don't feel like splurging but I don't know if the quality is up to par.

What's your favourite spring nail polish?

A Day at...Niagara Falls in Oslo

After the long Norwegian winter spent lying dormant, the sun showed its yellow face and just about the entire city of Oslo came out to play. Like a bear coming out of hibernation, it took a while to re-acclimatize to the unexpected light and I kept fairly close to home. Still, it's amazing what wonderful things you'll find just by revisiting your own neighbourhood.

It seems that you never really miss something until you know you're going to lose it and now that I only have a month left here, I am seeing Oslo in a new light (pun unintended); I can almost see what attracted me to it in the first place. The benefit of keeping a city from becoming too cosmopolitan is the proximity of nature, just a 10 minute walk from a downtown flat is this beautiful waterfall on a river that runs all the way to the center.

Of course, it's still quite cold and I had to layer thoroughly to keep from shivering but I got to break out my sunnies, which is always cause of celebration.

I led the way down the wrong street more than once, but overall I would consider the adventure a success. And at the end of every successful adventure is a feast which took place at a lovely little cafe we found near the top of the waterfall. It had to be fish and chips and beer as a tribute to the city I'll be living in soon: London.

  

xo Dani

Splash of Yellow | Polish of the Week

Spring is in the air and for me that brings out the instinct to pull my new neon yellow blazer out of the closet. Since there is still quite a bit of snow on the ground, this may seem a little premature to my parka-wearing neighbours. To satisfy my craving for sunlight and spring colours, I've made a compromise in the form of nail polish.

Yellow Kitty by Sally Hanson

I like this particular colour because it is very opaque after 2-3 coats and brings to mind bright Welsh daffodils-as opposed to some other brands that scream: "Help me, I have a hepatic disorder".

xo Dani

Pssst! Wanna see how I style that favourite neon blazer? Check out my video! 

Decorative Branches | Christmas DIY

Around Christmas I tend to see different coloured plastic branches in home stores and I've been toying with the idea of making my own and I really like the way they turned out. Not only did I get to personalize the branches, but finding them was a fun little outing! So, here's how you can do it yourself..

Step one

Go out and grab some branches! Don't break them out of trees yourself though, we're not out to harm nature and live branches are not as easy to break off as you may think. Trees shed branches all the time so if you look around the bottom of a few, you'll be able to find some nice ones.

Step two

Pick up some snow spray, glitter spray, coloured spray paint, or whatever you want to use to decorate your branches. This is what I used:

Step three

Lay down some newspaper (consider doing these next steps outside if you can) and spray the surface of your branches with your chosen spray. Let it dry for around 10-15 minutes.

Step four

Once that's dry you can flip the branch over and do the same thing to the other side. Don't forget to let it dry!

Step five

Arrange the dried branches in a vase. I used leftover globes from our Christmas tree in the bottom of the vase but there are a lot of other options like pebbles, larger stones, beads, etc.
Hope you give this a try!

xo Dani