Cover Girl truBLEND Liquid Makeup - l5 Creamy Natural and m4 Sand Beige

(Press samples.)

Cover Girl reformulated their truBLEND foundations a few months ago, making the formula lighter and thinner while improving the shade-matching potential. I never tried the original version, so I can't compare them directly.

Cover Girl truBLEND in l5 Creamy Natural and m4 Sand Beige

I was sent these two shades to try out, so the colour match is not exact, unfortunately, but it gives you an idea of the range. They are split into three groups (light, medium, deep), with a variety of undertones in each. I think Cover Girl has improved a lot in terms of their foundation colours - I remember a Clean foundation I had as a teenager that was, quite literally, pink. I looked like I had dipped my face in calamine lotion.

Thankfully the formula here is forgiving as well, despite the good coverage, so while the l5 Creamy Natural is a little too dark and cool for my skin, I can get away with it, as long as I blend well around the ears, or else it leaves a noticeable line. If you have truly neutral or olive-toned skin, this foundation might require some shade-mixing, so while it is inexpensive, you'll likely need to experiment with a few bottles to get an exact match.

Also a bit strange, the liquid pumps out with a strange streaking of white pigment, but it disappears as soon as I blend it in. It doesn't seem to alter the application in any way.

Cover Girl truBLEND in l5 Creamy Natural and m4 Sand Beige

In terms of coverage, this is a solid medium. In the picture below I applied it relatively sheerly with a moistened buffing brush, and I still got decent coverage out of it. Despite that, it still looked very skin-like to my eye, with a lot of natural glow (which if you have oilier skin, will probably translate to too much shine). While it smoothed over dry patches nicely, I found it slightly emphasized the texture around the lower part of my cheeks, where I tend to have any residual acne scarring and dilated pores. Again, probably better for drier skin.

Lasting power was really good - it didn't go cake-y or fade over the course of 8 hours, though the glow definitely turned to shine on my t-zone, and I had to use blotting papers twice for that. Despite the shine, I didn't actually get any separation or fading there either.

I definitely prefer the Ready, Set, Gorgeous foundation for my particular skin needs (video review here), but I think this is a good reformulation, and a solid drugstore option if you're looking for a glowy, natural finish foundation for normal-to-dry skin, that still provides good coverage.

Availability: All drugstores that carry Cover Girl products, as well as Wal-Mart and Target. Prices vary between 10$ CAD and 14$CAD, and the least expensive I found was at Wal-Mart.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)

Cover Girl TruMagic The Perfector, TruMagic The Sunkisser and TruMagic The Luminizer

One of the more interesting recent launches from Cover Girl is their set of three products in the TruMagic line-up (which debuted alongside their re-formulated and expanded TruBlend base range). This line features a "skin perfector", a bronzer and a luminizer, all in silicone-cream formulation.

I'm always pleased to see drugstore lines getting more experimental with their products and formulations. The concept for the skin perfector is not unique or original to Cover Girl, of course, (Mally has had something similar out for a while, and Stila came out with their own version this past year) but it's refreshing to see a brand branch out.

The question is - were they a worthy addition?

TruMagic The Perfector 

This is the one I was most intrigued by, since I had been lemming the Mally version for over a year. Essentially a silicone product in balm form, it can apparently be used alone as a mattifier, under foundation as a primer, over foundation as a finishing step, or throughout the day to refresh the look.

I was really eager to receive this, and imagined I would have a few days of testing and get a review up shortly. In reality, I found myself testing and using this over a few weeks, loving it and being bemused by it in equal measures.

The biggest win for me is using it as a mattifier. I love, love, LOVE how quickly and easily this provides a shine-free finish to my skin, without adding an ounce of weight or any added texture or cakiness. The key is to not use too much, just dabbing the provided sponge into the product and lightly dab/rolling it over the skin. This is especially important when applied overtop foundation or powder, as using too much product or a rubbing motion will only succeed in eroding the makeup. I made that mistake several times, with rather disastrous results.  Applied with a light hand, it is absolutely fantastic. (And is a great option if you don't love the look or feel of powder.)

Another great benefit is the way this blurs minor imperfections, like dilated pores and fine lines. It's not going to fill in wrinkles or make major dents vanish, but it does wonders for making the skin look fresher and smoother.

Below is a before and after of my forehead (that is the area with the most noticeable shine at the end of the day). In the before shot I am wearing a BB cream and powder, applied 15 hours earlier.

Pretty good!

It does fumble for me as a primer, however. It has an instantly smooth, silk-like finish, which would seem ideal as a base. In practice, I just couldn't get my foundations to blend over it without some patchiness and flaking. I tried applying more or less, and it just didn't seem to work too well. I think because of its mattifying function, it just exacerbates my dry areas, which become amplified once foundation is applied overtop. If you have no dryness at all, this might work a lot better for you.

Another thing to note - after using it almost daily for two weeks and intermittently for a couple more (so let's say about 20 uses), I've already hit pan! That is really, really unusual for me. I don't think I'm being especially heavy-handed when applying it, so I have to assume there just isn't a ton of product in here, at least not for the kind of application that would be the norm.

TruMagic The Sunkisser

I honestly had no expectations for this, and was very pleasantly surprised. It has the same silcicone/balm formulation and silky, seamless texture as The Perfector, and applies beautifully over bare skin or foundation. It's not a cream, so there's no dewiness or drag, and it's not a powder, so you don't have to worry about blending out edges.

The shade is a little too warm for me to use as a contour, but it's awesome for adding a layer of warmth and a true tan finish. It can be applied with the sponge provided, but I actually preferred using a synthetic buffing brush to hit the perimeter of my face and a bit over my cheeks for a really natural, bronzed effect. It blends out so easily, making it virtually goof-proof. Although it's not in any way a dupe for the Soleil Tan de Chanel, it's a nice, budget friendly way of trying out that kind of product. I found it lasted well throughout the day as well.

Really, really like this one. My surprise favourite out of the three.

TruMagic The Luminzer

I'll say right off that this guy probably isn't for me, at least not used conventionally. Same formulation and feel as the previous two, though this one is a slightly gold-toned clear base loaded with a ton of gold micro-glitter. And I do mean glitter, not shimmer. This is not a subtle highlight by any means. For clubbing, or a stronger look, however, it might be just right, and it does share the convenience of application with The Sunkisser - it can be dabbed on over makeup without adding weight or disrupting the finish underneath. For the right look, and especially over deeper skin tones, it can be fun. On fair to medium skin, the gold tone can come across a little yellow, however.

Alternatively, I do like dabbing it on the eyelid as a finishing touch for an extra bit of sparkle. A nice advantage is that the glitter stays put.

Left to right: TruMagic The Luminizer, TruMagic The Sunkisser swatches heavily and blended in.

Have you guys given these a try yet? What do you think?

Availability: At all major drugstores and select grocery stores, as well as Wal-Mart and Target. Also at well.ca. Prices vary, but 9$ to 12$ CAD is about average.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)

Cover Girl LipPerfection Lipcolor - Review and Swatches

I may be dating myself writing this, but I remember a time when shopping for makeup at the drugstore was an exercise in futility and frustration. Eyeshadows were chalky and sheer, lipsticks were twelve shades of uninteresting, and you could forget about getting any kind of colour match with foundation if your skin wasn't some bizarre shade of pink-toned ecru.

I've always loved a bargain, but shopping for drugstore makeup these days is an actual pleasure in and of itself. Prices may have gone up, but so has the quality and selection.

And so I was very hopeful when it came time to test the stash of Cover Girl LipPerfection lipsticks I acquired via the Beauty United blogger program.

Overall, I was very pleased. I generally find them to be smooth to apply (no drag), nicely pigmented (medium on one swipe, opaque with two), and with a moderately creamy texture. They're not especially hydrating, but they are very comfortable to wear and don't dry my lips out in the slightest. (If you have very dry lips, however, you'll probably want to layer a balm underneath.) They have a satin finish - for the most part - and they lend themselves well to precise application.

The three lightest shades have a somewhat different texture, which a little more "slippy" and less opaque. They also somewhat emphasize the texture (cracks, lines, flaky areas) of my lips, and do best when applied over lip balm and patted on with a brush or finger, rather than applied straight from the tube.

The medium to deep shades have great lasting power, 4-6 hours with minor wear. Creme fades within a couple of hours, while Sweet and Yummy last somewhere in between, though Sweet has more of a staining effect. These lipsticks don't seem to contain a masking fragrance, which means they have a faintly waxy sort of scent. Not pleasant, but not noticeable after a few minutes - and I suppose a boon to those who are sensitive to added fragrance. (Personally, I'm always in for vanilla.)

I've roughly sorted the ones I have into a warm group and cool group, with both arm and lip swatches for comparison. 

Warm shades first:

Top to bottom: Seduce, Hot, Sweet, Creme

Left to right: Top to bottom: Seduce, Hot, Sweet, Creme

Seduce 307

Seduce is a gorgeous and classic apple red, ever so slightly on the warm side. It lasts beautifully, and has one of the nicest textures overall.

Hot 305

Hot is a warmer, tomato red , bright and vivid. This has one of the creamier textures, and is one I suggest wearing with a lip liner to avoid any bleeding, if you're prone to that. It's a great alternative to a true orange if you want to wear the bold lip Spring trend, but remain somewhat horrified by orange.

Sweet 297

Sweet is a deep peach with an orange sherbet undertone. Like most shades that lean pastel, this can emphasize texture in the lips, but is fine if worn over lip balm (or lip balm and a lip liner combo to maintain some depth and opacity). This is very much a trend colour (and is featured in the Cover Girl/Pantene Spring/Summer 2014 video series here.)

Creme 256

Creme is a warm-tone beige nude, with a texture that was the least generous to any dryness or lines in my lips. I would dab this lightly on the lips in order to take down the natural cool-toned pink, and use it as a base for a nude gloss. 

And the cooler shades:

Top to bottom: Tempt, Eternal, Ravish, Tantalize, Bombshell, Yummy 

Left to Right: Tempt, Eternal, Ravish, Tantalize, Bombshell, Yummy

Tempt 355

Tempt is a cool, cherry red with a strong pink undertone. Beautifully saturated and vivid, this is a great statement lip if you're torn between a classic red and a punchier fuchsia. 

Eternal 350

Eternal is a hot, raspberry-toned pink with a lovely creamy finish. As you can no doubt imagine by now, this is one of my favourites.

Ravish 308

Ravish is a plummy, dusky berry. This has one of the richer textures, and felt the most comfortable on. It had great lasting power and was very flattering on my skin tone. I can imagine this being a perfect work-friendly colour for a lot of people - classic, not trendy.

Tantalize 324

A cool, almost lilac-y mauve, I was surprised by how much I liked this colour on me. It actually has the same effect as a nude on other people - it looks natural, polished and subtly brightening, despite the strong cool cast.

Bombshell 327

Bombshell is a "soft" fuschia pink, bright but not jarring, and not so blue-toned as to be unkind to less than blindingly-white teeth. This also has the smoothest texture of them all.

Yummy 397

Yummy is a pastel pink, a little modish and 60s feeling. It can look chalky and a little unforgiving when applied straight on, but it's exactly the kind of shade that pairs well with a smoky eye (as per Rita Ora's look at the Grammys).

So overall? I'm really pleased with the the shade range and most of textures here, with some that I foresee being in heavy rotation this Spring and Summer. In terms of drugstore options, I'm glad to have the substantial selection of the full range at such an inexpensive price, especially when I'm craving a shot of something new, colour-wise.

Have you guys tried this line at all? What are your thoughts?

Availability: All major drugstores. Price varies, though I usually see them for between 8-11$ CAD. Well.ca has them for 9.99$ CAD.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)

12 Days of Beauty Giveaway!

If you follow me on Instagream, you may have seen a few pictures tagged with #12daysofbeauty. The items in those pictures were generously provided by the lovely folks over at Cover Girl, Olay, Crest, Pantene, Herbal Essences, and Vidal Sassoon - and this is your chance to win them! :P

All the items featured in the picture below will be included in the prize pack:

COVERGIRL Flamed Out Shadow Pencil 

COVERGIRL Nail Gloss 

 COVERGIRL Clump Crusher mascara 

 Pantene Expert Collection Keratin Repair 60-second therapy Ampoule 

 Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal Moisture Whip

Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Tousling Hairspray

Olay Total Effects Line & Dark Circle Minimizing Brush

Olay Silk Whimsy Body Lotion 

Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Boost & Lift Hairspray

Clairol free product coupon 

Satin Care Shave Gel with a Touch of Olay and Venus & Olay Sugarberry Razor Cartridge– 

Crest 3D White Holiday Smile Survival Kit 

The rules:

- Must be 18 or have parental permission.
- Must be a Canadian resident, as the prize is being sent directly from the brands here in Canada.
- Leave a comment here if you wish, but you need to include an email address where I can reach you.
- Otherwise, email me at maggiesmakeupart@gmail.com, with "12 days of beauty" as your subject line, and your full name and address included in the body of the email.

The giveaway is open from now until Saturday, December 14th at 6pm EST. I will contact the winner via email. If I don't receive a response from the winner by Sunday, December 15th at 6pm EST, I will choose another winner.

And in case you don't follow me on Instagram (and why not?? who doesn't love makeup hauls, wine and cute dogs?), here are the pics you may have missed:

(Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)

Cover Girl Flamed Out Pencils

I'm a sucker for chubby pencils, be it for eyes or lips, so I was really really happy to get some of the Cover Girl Flamed Out Shadow Pencils in my sample bag from the Beauty United event (which I wrote about here, if you're curious).

Included in my bag: #310 Red-Hot Flame and #305 Crystal Flame 

When I initially tried the two shades in the picture above, I was surprised that they had some significant differences in finish and pigmentation, so I got a few more to test the range more thoroughly.

Top to bottom:
#310 Red-Hot Flame
#330 Gold Flame
#315 Lime Green Flame
#305 Crystal Flame
#350 Melted Caramel Flame
#300 Silver Flame

After seeing the beautiful burgundy eye that was created on the model for the event, I tested these out in a variety of ways: as liner, different shades blended out together as cream eyeshadow, as a base under powder eyeshadow. Overall, I found that I liked these best used in the latter two ways. Used as liner, I noticed some smudging throughout the day, which I did not notice when blended or used as bases. Used the latter way, they were tenacious, especially when a powder product was layered over them. They were generally - with one exception - ok to blend out before they set, though not as easy as some other chubby pencils I've tried that had a softer, slippier consistency.

I mentioned above that I noticed some differences between the two pencils I initially received, and I found that to be the case throughout. That's good and bad, depending on how much you like variety compared to surprises. I like that there is a range of finishes, but since there is no way of knowing what you'll get unless the store you shop at happens to have testers of all the shades, it can be problematic if you buy another shade based on your feelings about a previous one. There really should be an indication on the pencil somewhere.

Red-Hot Flame is a creamy, deeply pigmented russet red with a faint metallic sheen, and a soft texture that applies and blends easily. This was my favourite out of the bunch for both performance and colour. It looks scary in the swatch, and you can definitely create a major statement eye (as per the look created for the Hunger Games District 8 feature). However, it's also a great shade to layer under gold, bronze and cabernet eyeshadows to create a burnished smoky eye.

Gold Flame is sheerer, with some shimmer, and works very well to add in some dimension and highlight. I liked it best when used over a shade like Red-Hot Flame for an extra kick.

Lime Green Flame has the same texture and pigmentation level as Red-Hot Flame, albeit slightly more shimmery. Performance was also similar.

Crystal Flame is like Gold Flame, and is perfect for adding a gleam to the inner corner. 

Melted Caramel Flame sits somewhere in between Red-Hot and Gold Flame - not quite as creamy, soft and intense as the former, not quite as sheer and shimmery as the latter. It's a nice all-over lid shade, though because it has a firmer texture, it's more difficult to blend out. I like the look it gave when I used it to line under my eyes, but again, it smudged a bit when not set with powder.

Silver Flame is the sheerest, with bigger shimmer - almost glitter - and the patchiest application, and it was hard to blend out. My least favourite, based on performance alone.

These also need to be sharpened, which can be a pro or con, depending on whether you prefer convenience and less waste versus getting a smaller, sharper point.

Left to right:
#300 Silver Flame
#350 Melted Caramel Flame
#305 Crystal Flame
#315 Lime Green Flame
#330 Gold Flame
#310 Red-Hot Flame

Availability: At most drugstores, price can vary between 6$ to 8$.

Pros: Generally good to great wear when blended out, and especially she set with powder. Good range of shades and finishes (which could be a con as well!). Fantastic pigmentation on the cream liners (Red-Hot Flame and Lime Green Flame). Nice base product, especially the creamy shades.

Cons: Finish and pigmentation varies between shades, and is not indicated as such on the packaging, which is really confusing. Blendability varies between shades (Silver Flame being the worst), but generally have less slip and softness than comparable pencils from the drugstore.

(Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)

Cover Girl Clean Whipped Creme Foundation in #320 Creamy Natural and Clean Glow Bronzer in #120 Spices

Is it me, or have drugstore foundations been getting better and better over the last few years? I remember buying my first high-end product (a Bobbi Brown foundation) specifically because I couldn't find a good shade match or reasonably decent texture at the drugstore. Granted, that was about 20 years ago, so most drugstore makeup has improved dramatically in the interim, but I've been taken aback by how many drugstore foundations in particular I've found to be just plainly excellent.

I'm happy to add the new Cover Girl Clean Whipped Creme Foundation to that list.

Clean Whipped Creme Foundation in #320 Creamy Natural

It has a "modern" matte texture; the finish is indeed matte, but looks like clean, perfected skin texture rather than dry or powdery. Although it has a cream consistency, it's also incredibly lightweight and airy, and blends into skin flawlessly, leaving no perceptible trace and no tangible sensation, only a smoother appearance. For those who don't enjoy the way foundation feels on their face, then this is a great option.

I found the formulation to be exceedingly sophisticated, very similar to the way in which the Giorgio Armani Maestro Foundation feels and interacts when applied. (And also similar to the equally budget-friendly L'Oréal Magic Nude Liquid Powder.) The difference being that it has that initially thicker, creamier consistency, which actually makes it easier to manipulate than a very liquid formulation.

The coverage is light to almost-medium with a second layer, but I would hesitate to build up too much past that point, as it does start looking more obvious and powdery. Like the two other foundations I've compared it to, I find it also does best on normal or slightly combination skin. If you have oiler skin, you'll notice some sheen after a few hours, like I did around my nose. I didn't find the foundation getting patchy, or emphasizing my pores, just looking dewier. A primer or mattifying powder would be enough to control that. For drier skin, you'll notice it will pick up on flakes and dry areas somewhat, though that effect does diminish substantially after an hour or so as the foundation settles. Minus the sheen aspect, the wear was great, lasting me 10 hours with no fading or breaking down.

As you can see, the shade number #320 matched me well, even though it was a randomly provided press sample.

As an aside, this foundation also has no discernible scent, which is a welcome change from previous Cover Girl foundations I've tried.

The foundation is blended out on the left, and swatched on the right.

I always enjoy a multi-tasking product, and the three shades available in the Cover Girl Clean Glow promise to do that by offering an ombré range of colours in each palette.

The one I have, in the shade #120 Spices, is specifically marketed as a bronzer as opposed to a blush. I think using it as such would largely depend on your skin tone. The shades range from a pale peach, a nectarine with a strong beige undertone, and a muted redwood. The two lighter shades actually make for a lovely peach blush that looks fresh and natural on my skintone, and would probably be especially flattering on a pale redhead.

The darkest shade is a bit too ruddy for me to wear as a blush, but works when applied to the high planes of my face to mimic the way my skin looks after I've caught some sun. I think for olive skin tones that look sallow in yellow-toned bronzers, this would work beautifully. It could also work as a contour if the traditional taupe makes you look like you have giant bruises instead of high cheekbones.

Clean Glow in #120 Spices

The packaging promises "lightweight, blendable matte colour", and I think that's accurate. The finish is matte, and the texture is silky-fine and firmly packed, dry and light without being chalky or powdery. It's also inherently quite sheer, though I was able to build up depth without it looking cakey on the skin due to that lightweight texture. (It's also what the model with the ponytail and burgundy eye look was wearing as a contour in this post.)

This is meant to create a natural look, blend in seamless and be relatively foolproof to apply, but if you prefer a dense, creamy texture and strong payoff, then this isn't for you. For deeper skin tones, it will probably be too light and sheer to have much effect.

It has no masking fragrance included, which actually results in a slightly odd smell if you sniff the pan directly, though it's not noticeable at all once applied.

Availability: Out in most drugstores now, including Jean Coutu and Pharmaprix/SDM. Also available on www.well.ca. Prices vary, though 8.99$ for each is the suggested price.

Pros: Both products have a very lightweight feel, and look natural and seamless on the skin. The foundation has a very sophisticated texture that looks like skin, only perfected, and it wears very well overall. The bronzer can be used as blush, bronzer and/or contour, depending on your skin tone.

Cons: Some shine and emphasis on flakiness with the foundation, depending on skin type. Unsuited for very oily or very dry skin. The bronzer is sheer, which makes it unsuited for darker skin or those who prefer more intensity.

(Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)

Beauty United Event in Toronto

I've been tremendously fortunate this past month, on both a personal and professional level. What do they call the opposite of Mercury Retrograde? Because that's what it feels like. This month has abounded in great opportunities and new relationships, and knowing how cyclical these things are, I'm cherishing and enjoying these moments.

One such opportunity was the Beauty United blogger event in Toronto this past month. I joined 30 other beauty bloggers from across Canada (including my beauty event bestie, Eugenia of Ommorphiabeautybar!) at the Trump hotel for the reveal of a new media program from Procter and Gamble. The goal was to introduce us to the beauty brands under that company's umbrella, while giving us the chance to speak with the makeup artists and hair stylists that represent those brands nationally and internationally.

It was a really fun evening, and getting to see the Fall trends explained by the very people who helped to develop them was a beauty junkie's dream. (Getting to meet fellow bloggers and eat scrumptious desserts was an incredible side benefit!)

The main conference room, where we shmoozed and gorged on daintily partook of chocolate and wine. You may recognize the lovely ladies behind Liner, Glitter, Gloss and Perilously Pale in the midst of this huddle. ;)

As you can see, I beelined straight for the chocolate.

Some of the products that were out on display for us to play with and discuss with the different representatives.

Blond is, of course, ALWAYS a trend.

Some of the newer items from Cover Girl, including the Flame Out line and the new Clean foundation.

An expansion of the very successful Regenerist line from Oil of Olay, as well their version of the CC cream.

I didn't even know that Vidal Sassoon had a haircare line in drugstores, until I spoke to the incredibly nice rep (who it turns out was an ex-pat West Islander - small world!).

The most exciting part for me, I'll admit, was seeing the presentations from Denis Binet and Amelie Ducharme, the artistic directors for hair and makeup, respectively, for Montreal Fashion Week.

Denis is charming in the way only a Parisian man can be, telling us stories of his daughters as he explained his inspiration for the Big Hair, Don't Care look. Amelie was no less delightful, joking that Pat McGrath always gets her best ideas from her. They were both very generous with their time and knowledge.

Denis Binet, the stunning model representing one of the Fall 2013 trends, and Amelie Ducharme.

Two of the looks presented:

1) Sleek, severe, almost androgynous hair. Contoured cheeks, burgundy-toned smoky eyes, modern matte skin.

2) Big hair, with a defined shape in the front and party in the back. Perfected but restrained eye and a saturated wine-red lip. Textures remain matte, but still wearable and fresh.

I also received a bagful of product to test out and review, so the first of those reviews will be coming this week. :)

(Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)