Friday 21 March 2014

The Foundation You Really Don't Want

When I was at the Irish Beauty Show in the RDS the other week I picked up Royal Effem time defense foundation in shade 850 thinking that I might find a new make up brand that I like and it was on offer for €5 no less, happy days you can't go wrong with that. Now you couldn't open the jars and there weren't any testers out so I gave my best guess and off I went with it in a shiny bag of new things. (Who doesn't love a shiny bag of new things!?) But I was away with the fairys it seems and it wasn't until I got home and started to slap this goo on my face did I realise my horrible mistake.

I have one reaction that sums up the entire post, the no no cat:


I know, its bad if Cat is pulling out the Cats of YouTube to do her explaining for her. I honestly thought of that cat the minute I put this stuff on my face. Let me explain the no no reaction. First off, its not the easiest bottle in the world to use, it has a spatula-like thing inside so you can scoop it out, sexy. I have photos below with both the camera flash on and off so you can see the difference just in case your interested in it! However I'll say one good thing about it, it does look fancy in its little bottle and a blogger friend pointed out that its not unlike Mac foundation bottles.

Next is the smell. I have the loveliest great aunt, she is very elderly at this stage and like all lovely little old ladies she has a particular smell. Its a mixture of over powering old perfume and well, old person smell? I know, I'm a total bitch for saying that but when I smelt this she was the first thing that came to mind - apart from no no cat of course. This has the strongest scent I have ever smelt in a foundation or even in a make up product in general. I can't describe to you how horrible and off putting it is to have to put on your face.  A mixture of make up smell - kind of powdery and something else? with strong a floral scent and something else I just can't put my finger on. 


Then comes actually having to put it on your face after you get over the shock of the overwhelming smell. I expected it to be a little light on my skin tone, as I hadn't tested it and it looked a little pinky for my liking. Man I was so right, it made me look like I had got into my mothers make up bag and gone wild. I was all set for halloween, this horror in a bottle. The swatch below doesn't do the awful colour justice but I couldn't face putting it on my skin again for photos. Now this isn't really a negative thing considering the girl at the stand wasn't very helpful in suggesting a shade for me and there were no testers, so perhaps there is a shade much better suited for me, but I don't want to find out to be honest.

This foundation gives your pores pores. I have fairly big pores and can for the most part minimise them a little with the right make up, but christ on a bike you didn't have to even stand in the same room as me to see my pores with this stuff on my face. A search team would have a party if they were to go looking for me. Its oily and doesn't blend well. It sits on top of the skin and draws attention to any dry skin or raised imperfections making it almost cakey if thats the right word considering how oily it is. No amount of pressed powder helped here and even on the dry areas of my face it was shiny and sliding down my face throughout the day. 


Don't get me wrong, I tired with this foundation. I mixed it with others I favour, I tried different brushes, my fingers, I primed my skin with every bottle I had, god I was near lighting a candle by the end of it. This stuff just isn't for me, or anyone else in their right mind if you were to ask my opinion. After googling it and having a look at the Royal Effem site, I found out a bottle of this will set you back around £24 making it a more high end brand then any I have used before. Not that I would be willing to ever fork out that kind of money for this, let alone a drug store foundation price. 

5 comments:

  1. yuck, the smell sounds horrendous.

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    1. It really is, going to the bin right now! x

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  2. Christ on an effem bike that sounds nasty! By the sounds of it I wouldn't want to try it if you paid me!

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    1. Ahaha, nice pun there mrs ;) Yeah I'm glad I didn't pay full price but sad I wasted a fiver all the same! x

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  3. I totally get this sometimes some foundations just flop on my skin or my clients

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