Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation Review

Hello all!
Today I'll be reviewing one of my all time favorite foundations: Bourjois Healthy Mix. After watching the Pixiwoo sisters and Lisa Eldridge use this time and time again, I really wanted to give this foundation a try. But, alas, Bourjois is no longer available in the US, so I needed to wait until I went to Europe. Fortunately for me, my whole family is from Switzerland, and we go back to visit often, so I was able to get it last summer. I purchased Healthy Mix and a foundation from L'Oreal (their HD foundation, which isn't available here either. Quick review on that: I didn't like it, won't repurchase, and wouldn't recommend it) and I made myself use up the L'Oreal one before I finally tried Healthy Mix, so I only started using it around March.

 My verdict: Healthy Mix offers exactly what I look for in foundations: It has a good, medium coverage but it never looks cakey or overdone- my skin always looks like skin, not like I've got on foundation. I have dry skin, and this works wonderfully for me because it doesn't accentuate flakes or dry patches. And not that this matters (or maybe it does?), but it smells really really nice (but only when you first pump it out, you won't smell it on your skin all day!).  It wears really well , and with a powder on top it'll last me all day. My shade is 51 (the lightest shade), which, in comparison to my skin, is a bit yellow, but I actually like that since it helps neutralize redness. According to the French website, that particular shade is only available online...I'm not sure if they've stopped carrying it in stores or something, although I did hear somewhere that 51 isn't sold in all countries, so keep that in mind if you're looking for that shade.

My one issue with this foundation? I find that  the pump sometimes gets clogged up and doesn't work well. After pumping it like 10 times and wiping the top, it ends up working fine, but it is a bit annoying. 

 image source

Before:                                  

  After:

                                                 
I know the picture quality and lighting suck, but hopefully you can see that this foundation got rid of the redness on my nose and cheeks, and reduced the apperence of blemishes. It didn't cover everything, but it's not supposed to, either. With concealer and powder on top, this creates a pretty flawless finish without looking heavy.

Shade: 51
Coverage: Medium
Finish: Satin (not super-dewy, but not matte either)
Price: 14.45 euros (can't remember how much it cost in Swiss francs!)

All in all, I would highly recommend this, if you can get your hands on it, that is! I'll be in Switzerland again this summer, and I'm planning on trying out some other Bourjois foundations. Any suggestions?

-Seraphine

Everyday Makeup Routine For Work

I'm the first to admit I am not a morning person (nor am I a night person... I'm more of a middle-of-the-day person. But I digress), so when it comes to doing my makeup for work, I have a routine down pat that is easy enough to do when I'm sleepy. My internship is actually away from home, so I wasn't able to bring too many products (which is why my makeup posts are a bit repetitive at the moment!), but I planned it out so that I have everything I need to look polished for work.

1. Foundation routine: My foundation routine is always the same: MAC Prep and Prime SPF 50, Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation, Maybelline Dream Lumi-Touch concealer under my eyes, Physician's Formula Conceal RX on blemishes, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, Clarins Bronzer in 10 Morning Sun (a must have for pale ghosties like me!)

2. Eyebrows: I'm not one to fuss with my brows, since they're fairly thick to begin with, but I usually run a tiny bit of my Essence Brow Pencil (mine was called light brown, but I believe it's now called blonde? Not really sure, but it's whichever one's lightest) with Essence Brow gel to hold them in place

3. Cheeks: Either MAC Stunner (LE, sadly!), or MAC Dame, depending on whether I want a pinker cheek or a peachy-pink ( I know, the difference is astronomical ;) )

4. Eyes: Too Faced Natural Eye palette, and I mix up what colors I use daily. One of my favorite looks (borrowed from an older video of Michele1218's) is Silk Teddy on the Lid, Velvet Revolver in the crease, and Erotica in the outer corner, with Heaven as a highlight (if you work in a  conservative office environment, I would forgo any shimmery shadows and just work with mattes). I finish off the eyes with one coat of Fairy Drops Scandal Queen mascara

5. Lips: This is where I mix it up the most, but I've especially been liking Milani's Lipgloss in Whisper. I always prep my lips beforehand with my EOS lip balm in Strawberry Sorbet (I think that's what it's called? Its the light pink one!)

And there you have it! I find that the whole routine doesn't take me too long to do, since I pretty much have it down to a science. If you have less time but still want to look polished, I recommend just lightly dusting Push Up from the Too Faced Palette all over your lid, and eliminating the foundation, bronzer, and second concealer from the routine (whichever one you need less!). Quick tip: lay out your makeup the night before so that you know exactly what you want to use in the morning. This has helped me a lot throughout the school year to avoid falling into a makeup rut!

-Seraphine