Foundations For Pale Skin!

Click above to watch my latest video on foundations for pale skin! I will also list the products I featured below. If you have any recommendations of other pale foundations not mentioned please do leave a comment either on my blog or channel! :)

White Foundations:

*Stargazer White Liquid Foundation
*Makeup Revolution The One Foundation Shade 1/2
*Manic Panic Dreamtone Foundation
*Makeup Atelier Waterproof Foundation in FLWB/White
*Illamasqua Skin Base Shade 1
*Mac Face & Body in White
*Mac Full Coverage Foundation
*Mac Paint Stick
*Face Atelier Ultra Foundation in Zero Minus

PALE FOUNDATIONS:

*Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in Shade 2
*Kryolan TV Paint Stick
*Dainty Doll Foundation in 001: *Discontinued but if anything changes I will make an update video!*
*Nars Sheer Glow in Siberia
*Yves Saint Laurent Touch Eclat Foundation in BR10
*Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation in Alabaster/Porcelain 
*Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation in Porcelain
 

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Foundation

Today's review is courtesy of a little sample pot of foundation I had pretty much forgotten about. On passing the Yves Saint Laurent counter many months ago, I had a foundation fitting done for their Touche Éclat Foundation. It was given to me in a small pot that was so tightly fastened I could never get it open, and as the colour inside looked so dark I never bothered to get it open until recently. 

After some elbow grease and a strategically placed teatowel my Mum managed to open it for me. I applied some on my face whilst bored one day, holding the mirror up ready to laugh at a big orange streak on my face. Only wait.... where is it on my face I can't actually see it... On closer inspection I saw that it had almost seamlessly blended into my face, which seemed absolutely crazy given how pale I am and how dark the pot looked! 

I then decided to try it for real for my make-up today where I was actually leaving the house and interacting with real people, who I'm sure would have smirked if I had a bright orange face and white neck, so this was as good a test as any!

And here is the finished result, photographed in the most accurate daylight I could make the picture, without any photoshop and with concealer *only* around the eye area so you can see the coverage (and yes with bedhair too!...)

I have to say I am completely amazed that something so dark can lighten up so dramatically once you blend it into the face. I found that lightly blending with the hands and then going over with a buffing brush worked best as it has quite a light consistency and is not as thick as other foundations I have tried. I have swatched it on my arm to give you a better idea of how it lightens...

As for the coverage, it doesn't massively cover blemishes, scars etc however on the flipside it still looks like skin. Sometimes I don't want a full coverage look with every "flaw" blanked out, y'know? I feel as if this foundation gives you that in between of not bare skin, yet not completely caked either. It's quite a light, fresh finish which reminds me of when I used to wear Dior powder foundation as a teenager. It also does not feel in any way heavy like most foundations feel on my dry skin.

I do however feel that in the winter time BR10 might be a tad too warm, as it definitely makes me look slightly less pale although thankfully not in an orange way. I also triple checked for tide marks and couldn't see any which is always a good thing!
 

This foundation certainly surprised me and I am now seriously considering going back and buying the real thing! As always though if you want to try this foundation, definitely start with the sample pot first and see how it blends and contrasts between your face and neck. 

If you give this foundation a try let me know how you get on!

The Daily Pale

In just one day, the Daily Mail published two seperate articles whereby pale skin was discussed in a derrogatory manner. One on Christina Hendricks, and the other on Daniel Radcliffe.

I felt I had to respond to this on my blog, as this is a place whereby pale skin is celebrated. As I have said before, whether a person chooses to tan or not... this is fine and totally up to the individual. My issue has never been about the choice of whether to tan or not - rather those who choose to embrace their pale skin being made to feel self concious about it, through the media, society and peers. Not to mention within cosmetic companies, who don't make shades light enough for those with fair skin.

I find it disgraceful that the media and people in general, would face prosecution to label a person with any darkness in their skin in an derrogatory manner, however to comment on the lightness of a person's skin is perceived as being fine and almost comedic. It really should be an even playing field, especially if people are brave enough not to be a sheep when it comes to fake tan - and actually embrace the skin tone they were born in - regardless of the tone it happens to be.

Even the Butcher's choice advert (a brand of dog food over here in the UK) labels the farmer as "Mean and Pasty".... Pasty being a well known term for pale skin. Such labels along with "Milkbottle", "Ghost", "Casper's Cousin" etc, are commonplace within society.

Back to the Christina Hendricks article, and honestly I find it sad that out of all her accomplishments and even the hype surrounding the event she was attending.... ALL Jason Chester could possibly comment on, was the lightness of her skin. I'm not exactly clued up on Christina's entire CV... but knowing she is an accomplished actress, savvy dresser and well.. ultimately quite successful, why is her skin tone the only thing you can talk about as a national newspaper?! 

In my view creating a whole article on someones skin tone, is as bad as discussing someones weight. The media need to realise that using body issues - whatever that might entail -  to sell stories, can only have a negative effect, particularly on the impressionable. Whether someone has gained a few pounds, or has had a bad hair day, or maybe looked tired when the paparazzi shoved cameras in their face as they were leaving their hotel... why is this really any of our business, and what good does it actually do bringing it to our attention?

We are human, we are all different. We have good days, bad days... bad skin days.... bad hair days... amazing skin and hair days (if we are lucky). Sometimes we look tired or frustrated, have frown lines, spill coffee down our top..... essentially we are not perfect. Some of us also wish to rock pale skin too. This is why we should care when someone, whether it be the media or even in the street, makes fun of you or someone else for having pale skin, because what harm is pale skin actually doing to you, and why should anyone feel the need to change the way they look?

Interestly, the article then features pictures other stars that attended the event, such as Jennifer Garner and Solange Knowles. Now, where was the part in the article that bashed these stars for the colour of their skin? Oh wait, no that would be wrong and the newspaper could even be shut down for it because it would be racist. So why single out the pale skinned attendee? 

Perhaps the only saving grace of this article, is the comments section of which, the most popular comments all point out just how offensive the content of the article is to those with pale skin, as well as some who called her look "stunning". Unfortunately for those reading this article and many like it, it is the content written within it, is what packs the most punch, and gets across to the most amount of people. 

As much as my blog is primarily make-up reviewing, I do intend to highlight issues that bother me when they arise. I am proud of my pale Irish skintone, that I have inherited from my Dad's side of the family. I don't feel a need to cover this with tanning lotion, but at the same time what I REALLY don't feel the need for - is negative articles, language and general opinion in relation to mine or anybody elses skin tone, whether light or dark, red, purple or Simpson's yellow. 

Sure, The Daily Mail is often known as "The Daily Hate", however it is not the only publication or indeed person - who gain satisfaction from making others feel self conscious, simply for having fair skin. This is why I felt it was important to bring this to your attention, because we cannot let this continue - it must be stamped out.

Beauty is not simply for those who wish to tan, nor is fashion, clothing or make up. We all need to embrace each others differences, not spread hate or negativity. 

Stargazing

Finding a pure white foundation is not an easy task. Sure, there is Mac Face & Body.. but at nearly £30, it's a costly purchase. Changing those decimals around a little, Stargazers liquid foundation in the shade "White" totals just £3.50.

There are several uses for a pure white foundation. Some of you hardcore palies out there, may wish to use this on it's own as an everyday foundation, or for stage and theatre purposes... even for halloween or Geisha looks. Alternatively, you may require a white foundation to mix with other foundations if they are too dark for you and so need lightening.

Whatever your need for a white foundation, be warned that they are not easily available in shops or online. Barely a handful of brands do a white shade of foundation, so for me Stargazer was a good place to start as I found it to be one of the cheapest brands that do stock a white shade.

Now whilst the colour may be fantastic, I was a little disappointed by how smooth the application is when the product is applied to the face. As for my hand, you can see I was able to smooth it over nicely. However, if using a foundation brush you may struggle with brushmarks, as the product tends to set quite quickly, meaning there is no room for going over areas and smoothing things out. Having said that, my skin is quite dry and the foundation does not state what skin type the product would best suit. I think perhaps oilier skins may have a better time with this than dry. 

The other issue to remember with a white foundation, is that unless you find a white concealer (I have never been able to find one myself), then well.... concealing is going to be an issue. If you have any major skin concerns, be warned that you may not be able to cover them all that well. Although, the foundation is quite thick in texture so with the right application you can make it quite dense on the skin. 

All in all, this is not a bad place to start if you are really wanting a pure white foundation. It's not the best quality foundation I have ever tried, however for £3.50 I guess you could say well what did you expect? Even if it's not the best, I applaud Stargazer for boldly going where alot of make-up companies would never dare to go, in catering for extremely pale skin.

Dainty Doll Foundation

Today I thought I would review the complete range of liquid foundations by Dainty Doll - the cosmetics company set up by Girls Aloud member Nicola Roberts. The brand is primary aimed at those with pale skin, after Nicola herself had well documented struggles with her own pale skin whilst being in a girl band whereby she was surrounded by the pressure to conform to the bronzed look. Not only this, but she too also recognised the lack of products (particularly foundations) available if you have ultra fair skin.

I was kindly bought the lightest shade of this foundation for Christmas, but wanted to wait to do this review until I have all four shades to compare. As I have mentioned previously, the problem with buying foundation is that if you have cool tones like I do, you do NOT want any deep orange/yellow tones to the foundation you buy, which is usually the case with shades labelled "ivory" or "fair" and it's often misleading because of that.

Dainty Doll Founder Nicola Roberts

As Dainty Doll has been created by someone who actually has pale skin therefore understands the requirements, I naturally had high hopes. I firstly have to commend Nicola for being brave enough to stand up to the expectations that you must be fake tanned at all times, let alone bring out a make up range to support the idea that pale skin is ok for all those who struggle.

I found the lightest shade 001 to be just a touch too light for me which I found quite surprising. However when you apply it to the face, the colour can look a bit sheer white particularly on the chin. I tend to mix 001 with just a drop of my Mac Studio Sculpt foundation in NC15. This allows me to get the perfect shade. The beauty about 001 is that is does blend beautifully with other foundations you've no doubt cast aside for being too dark like I have. As long as you are careful with how much you add - you can still get the real lightness without changing the pigment too much

The quality of the foundation is really impressive, and I apply it with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush as I do all my liquid foundations. It has a good thick consistency and is easy to blend. It's not one of these foundations that doesn't move well, although I do usually moisturize and prime my skin in advance to ensure a smooth application. I would say overall this foundation is a mid-coverage.

As for the packaging, firstly the product comes in quite a lovely little illustrated box. This means if you are giving it to someone as a present it does look rather special. The container itself is made of quite a sturdy plastic as opposed to glass, making it lightweight and ideal for traveling with. The foundation is released via a pump action as opposed to an open lid, which I generally prefer as it means you can use up every last drop of product and avoid waste... but you can't have everything!

One issue I would bring up with 001 is that I didn't have a concealer anywhere near light enough to use with it. This means if I use it exclusively on it's own, I can't conceal. This is another reason I tend to mix it with another foundation so that my concealer blends a little nicer. If you are going to purchase the lightest shade, it's worth looking at the Dainty Doll concealers because they are more likely to be a perfect match as opposed to another brand.

There are four shades of the Dainty Doll Liquid Foundation in total. In all honesty, only 001 & 002 for me qualify as "pale". Infact 004 is extremely dark in real life, comparable to Yves Saint Laurent shade "BR 60".  I do find it a little odd that Dainty Doll goes as dark as it does considering it is aimed at those with pale skin. I personally would have had the other two shades as pink undertoned shades to cater for all different types of fair skin. Interestingly, I also found 004 the most difficult to remove from my arm after swatching them which proves how strong the dark pigment is.

As for 003, I would say this is a very similar shade to the Maybelline Dream Satin Foundation I used a few years ago in the shade "Ivory". It's arguably fair, but does show up quite dark on your skin if you are extremely fair and don't have the right undertones to counteract it. I personally wouldn't buy a foundation in this shade if I swatched it on my hand, as I would consider it to be too dark for my skin.

Price wise, the Dainty Doll Liquid Foundation retails at £22 normally, however Boots are currently selling it for £14.67 online. If the price has generally come down on this product, then that can only be a good thing as it means it will be more accessible to those who can't afford £22 on a foundation. I do hope the price decrease doesn't mean Dainty Doll are going out of business though! They have taken a well needed step towards colour equality in make-up, making the rest of us feel less self conscious and helping us to embrace our natural skin tone.

Old School Hollywood

I have long been a fan of the old school Hollywood look. There was something so classy about the women of the 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's that isn't always so apparent in today's world. It wasn't just the way they conducted themselves and they way they dressed - the makeup was also much more about being sophisticated and generally understated, rather than "plastering it on" and "more is more" as is often the case these days. That doesn't mean to say a red lip was out of the question though, most famously sported by the likes of Marilyn and Audrey.

More recently, celebrities such as Christina Aguilera and Angelina Jolie have really revived this look and made it relevant again. Back to Basics is definitely one of my favourite albums of all time, and many people who are not generally a fan of Ms Aguilera say the same. The album heavily channels all things past in terms of blues, jazz and soul and this transcends beautifully into the looks Christina portrayed throughout the album cover and tour makeup. Everything was old school with that little bit of a Christina twist.

Watch the Back to Basics into here:

When creating my own paleskinmakeup take on this look, I noticed that it required 3 vital things: A flawless base, a red lip and quite matte off white/pink on the eyes. Of course a more modern take would include a heavier eye, however I am keeping it "old school" as the likes of Marilyn would! To begin, I set my hair in heated rollers whilst I prepped the skin and got to work. (It's a good idea to get everything you intend to use out infront of you whilst your hair is setting, if like me your makeup collection spans your entire room and there's always something you can't find!)

Prep:

- Nivea Oil Free Moisturizer
- Clarins Daily Energizer Wake-Up Booster
- MUA Oil-Free Primer

Base:

For my base I custom mixed 2 foundations, to get the shade right but also get the flawless finish of a mac foundation.

- Mac Studio Sculpt Foundation - NC15
- Dainty Doll Liquid Foundation - 001
- Collection 200 Concealer - 1 Fair
- Collection 2000 Pressed Powder - 18 Ivory

- Diorshow Powder - 005 (A blusher, but used as a contour)
- Sleek Blusher - Rose Gold
- 17 Blusher - First Flush (Just a tiny bit pressed on over the top)

Eyes:

I experimented with quite a few products here. Aiming for quite a matte finish, but with a slight contrast with a lighter shade/light reflection in the inner corner. To achieve a similar look, you do not need to use as many products. However using a pure white or similar shade first as I did is advisable to help prime the lid for the colour you intend to use.

- Estee Lauder 01 Pink Flash (Shimmer) - My base
- Barry M Shimmering Eye Crayon - 5 
- Models Own Eye Shadow - Pearl Pink
- Bourjois Eyeliner Pencil - Silver
- Models Own Eyeliner Pencil - Black
- Collection 2000 Multiplier Mascara

- Anstasia Brow Kit

Lips

- Models Own Lip Pencil - Red
- Barry M Lipstick - 121
- Sleek Glossed Lipgloss - Bitten


And for the finished result!....(Pale skin style, of course)

The Clothes Show Live (Part 1)

I was lucky enough to win 2 tickets to The Clothes Show Live, courtesy of Sleek Make-up, after entering a competition on their facebook page. I won the tickets on the Tuesday (finding out on the Wednesday after I was curious who had won so checked their facebook page and saw it was me!) and on the Saturday found myself at the show, alongside my fellow beauty bloggin' cousin Vicky. 

Although I had been aware of TCSL for many years now, it is not something I knew a great deal about. I was especially flabbergasted when I checked the website and saw there would be 400 individual retailers at the show... mainly in the beauty catagory! It may sound daft, but I never imagined it was about more than just clothes and fashion.

As we made our way into the NEC in Birmingham, we first came across the beauty stalls. Not like a market stall thankyou very much - huge, 20 foot sparkly bottles of nail varnish, double decker buses doing facials, rows and rows of products in every colour possible, treatments and a pink carpet covering the entire NEC to walk around on. Saying it was a feast for the eyes would be a massive understatement!

Our first mission was to find the Sleek counter to inform them we were here. As we did so, a lady came and shook our hands and gave me and Vicky a goodie bag each (the full details will be in the second part of this blog!). All I can say is we screamed - literally. 

Silly me for thinking that we would be leaving Brum with just one goodie bag. Oh no no no no NO! Practically every stall had their own goodie bags with insane offers to match, such as Barry M and Models Own both offering £70 worth of products in a gift bag for just £10.

It wasn't just the freebies and the dreamlike deals that was an enjoyable part of our day. Firstly, we happened to come across the Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model catwalk. Yep that's right, the actual finalists from the show were walking right infront of us. See the full video I recorded here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdRJlrP2O_s&feature=plcp


I have never witnessed a professional catwalk show before and it was a real eye opener. These girls were uber confident, and it was so refreshing to see many of them had porcelain skin, no fake tan required.The clothes and overall styling was gorgeous.

After our goodie bag bonanza and the fashion show, we then watched many celebrities talk about the brands they were promoting at the show, from fashion lines to the good old Stylofile. I managed to get a clip of Amy Childs talking (my cousin is a huge TOWIE fan, I am not advocating the look in any way!) which may interest some of you out there who also watch the show.

As much as I find it insane she is the same age as me, and obviously I am not a fan of the whole orange/fake look.... I definitely admired her personality and she was very entertaining. Her fashion range was also really impressive, with the shorter sparkly dress one of the models had on being my favourite piece.

The chat between Caryn Franklin and VV Brown was perhaps the most interesting of the day, as Caryn talked about the importance of networking and social media, all whilst looking effortlessly cool in her outfit. I swear I have never come across a more stylish lady in my whole life! She then introduced VV who talked about being a musician and how she was scouted on a plane to New York by a top modelling agency. I found the whole discussion really inspiring, both as a designer and as a beauty blogger.

 

Finally, we watched a live hair demo by Lee Stafford and his "Staffettes". Again, I was really taken aback by how down to earth and cool he was. He came onstage and gave away loads of his products, and had great interaction with the audience. He also happily posed with people at his stall, including Vicky which made her day, as she loved him on Celebrity Scissor Hands.

 

All in all, I had an absolutely fantastic day... it truelly exceeded my expectations. It was tough on my back and neck which still kill from carrying so much all day without really stopping.... but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. I have to warn you that you do need a hardcore love of beauty and fashion to withstand the insane amount of crowds and carrying, however it is totally worth it. I came away from TCSL feeling inspired and fairly overwhelmed at all the gifts I had recieved. Waking up today to write this blog was like waking up on Christmas morning!

Coming Next: Inside TCSL Goodie Bags!!