Porcelain Skin Foundation Frustrations

Hello lovelies!

As you may be able to tell from the title, I am thoroughly annoyed at how limited my choices are for foundation. I have very pale skin that has been described as porcelain. Porcelain skin is best described as very fair skin with pink undertones – I have no yellow undertones whatsoever. Every time I go into a makeup store, I am always on the lookout for the perfect foundation for me. I cannot even count how many different foundations I have tried and returned. It is an obscene number.

There are 3 things I look for in a foundation:

1. The foundation matches my skin perfectly.
2. The foundation is cruelty-free.
3. The foundation is made of natural/organic ingredients.

I am not sure whether or not that list makes me “picky” but there are explanations behind every quality. I feel as though asking for a foundation that matches my skin perfectly while being both cruelty free and natural/organic is reasonable.

For reference of how pale I truly am.

One of worst parts of shopping for foundation is when a makeup artist attempts to help me. Many makeup artists “match” my skin to the wrong shade every time. The makeup artists always reassure me that the foundation looks “flawless” and matches me skin tone “perfectly”. It is frustrating for me to buy products to which I have been matched.

The main issue with most foundations is that even the fairest shade is made for people with yellow undertones. This is confusing to me because most of the people I know who have extremely fair skin have pink undertones. Why would makeup companies not make foundations with various undertones suitable for their wide range of consumers? Why not make two different shades of fair foundation: one for people with yellow undertones and another for people with pink undertones?

On the rare occasion I find the perfect shade of foundation for my skin, there is almost always something wrong with the foundation. For example, in the past week I have been matched to two new foundations: bareMinerals’ bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation and Nvey Eco Moisture Rich Foundation.

The bareSkin foundation in the shade “Bare Porcelain 01” was the perfect match for my skin. Sadly, this foundation made my skin erupt with numerous pimples and clogged my pores. The foundation managed to make my dry skin very greasy and oily – something no previous product has done before. The foundation also did not stay put in place even when combined with a primer. This foundation also required a “special” brush designed specifically for the application of the liquid foundation. Honestly, I believe that this brush is a scam to make more money. It worked perfectly with my affordable Real Techniques buffing brush from the Core Collection.

The Nvey website misled me to believe that the Moisture Rich Fluid Foundation in the shade “Ivory 510” was the fairest shade for pink undertones. After going to Ulta a couple of days ago, I talked to one of the workers who agreed that this would be the best selection for me. As soon as I got home, I moisturized my skin and tried my new foundation. It was awful. My skin began to flake and dry out. Then, I noticed after 2 hours that the foundation had oxidized and left a yellow tint to my skin! Needless to say, I will be soon returning this to Ulta.

For now, I am not sure what I will be doing for foundation. Today, I went to Lush and was matched with the Jackie Oates colour supplement. The lovely sales lady gave me a sample to bring home before I go out on a limb to purchase it. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will be my new foundation!

Thank you for taking the time to read my length rant about foundation. I am positive that I am not the only person with this issue. While porcelain skin tones may be difficult to match, I am also sure there are other skin tones just as hard to match!

At the end of the day, I know this is a superficial issue and it is not the biggest concern in my life right now. Inner beauty will always be more important than outer beauty. I was just a tad frustrated!

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! If any of you have recommendations for me, please let me know – I will be forever grateful!

Love,

Larisa Rose

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The Beauty Blogger Tag

Hello lovelies!

Thank you so much for welcoming to the blogging community. I cannot express my gratitude and relief. I decided to do the Beauty Blogger Tag that I found here: http://www.beautybroadcast.net/2013/09/the-procrastinating-beauty-blogger-tag.html. I hope this allows you to get to know me a little bit better before I post more content. Currently, I have a few more posts in progress that should be posted in the near future.

 

1. Is your hair naturally curly or straight?

My hair is naturally straight and very thick. Unfortunately, it hurts my head to have my hair in a ponytail or pinned up for too long.

2. Do you dye it yourself or go to a salon?

When I was in high school, I used to do box dyes at home with my friends for fun. Then, I realized how much better my hair looked whenever I professionally got my hair dyed at a salon. Currently, my hair is its natural color but it is ombréd. The tips are a honey blond color. I have not dyed my hair since August 2013. I think I am ready for a change very soon though!

A picture of my hair after dying it in August 2013.

3. Do you wear the same style every day, or do you change it?

As a busy college student, my hair style remains the same almost every day because it is easier to wear my hair in its natural state: down and straight. Occasionally, I mix it up with a high pony tail or cute sock bun. I hope to start attempting new hairstyles in the future because it is fairly boring unless it is an important event.

4. Do you do your own mani/pedi or go to a salon?

I typically do my own mani/pedi or one of my friends assist me at one of our impromptu nail polish parties. I only go to salons on special occasions such as a formal or a wedding.

5. How often do you change your nail polish?

I do not change my nail polish too often because I am impatient when it comes to waiting for it to dry. To be honest, nail polish is not my favorite beauty product because of my impatience and lack of being ambidextrous in painting my right hand.

6. Do you polish your toes in the winter or just the summer?

I polish my toes mostly in the springtime or summer. In the winter there is not point because my feet are always covered up by boots!

7. How long does it take for you to put on makeup?

On a typical school day, it takes me approximately 10-20 minutes to do my makeup. For a fancy occasion, it may take up to 30-45 minutes.

8. What do you do first? Face or eyes?

I always do my face first because I believe it creates a polished palette to accent. I have tried starting with my eyes first but it felt awkward.

9. Do you collect makeup or just buy what you need when you need it?

This is a tough question. Technically, I collect makeup but it is due to the fact that I always find products that I “need”. However, rest assured that all of my makeup is put to good use.

10. How often do you wear false eyelashes?

I rarely wear false eyelashes. I tend to wear false eyelashes on special occasions or when I go dancing with my friends.

11. Do you do a full face of makeup everyday?

No. I try to give my skin a break from too much makeup, especially on school days. I wear a full face of makeup for interviews, meetings, special occasions, dates, etc.

12. Do you wear makeup when you’re home alone or with family?

It depends on my mood. Some days I love experimenting with makeup regardless if I am actually leaving the house. It is a great opportunity for me to try new looks without worrying whether or not it looks fantastic on me.

13. Will you leave the house without makeup?

Yes. As much as I love makeup, I don’t believe that it is essential for every aspect of my life. For example, I will not wear makeup to the gym or if I am volunteering at a place that will get me dirty.

14. How many high-end products do you have?

The majority of my products are high-end and natural/organic. It is rare for me to find drugstore makeup that does not cause my skin to breakout. One of the only drugstore brands I can use is Physician’s Formula.

15. Do you plan your OOTD every night or decide when you’re getting dressed?

It depends on the situation. If I wake up late on a school day, I tend to throw a few pieces together and run off to class. Other days, I try to put my OOTD out the night before so I do not have to worry about rummaging around for it in the morning. I always plan my OOTD the night before if I have a meeting or other special event occurring the next day.

16. How often do you change your handbag?

I rarely change my handbag. It is too much of a hassle to constantly switch the content out of my favorite one into another.

17. What time do you wake up and go to sleep?

I wake up around 7-8 AM every morning. I try my best to go to bed by midnight every night but my insomnia tends to keep me awake until 2 AM.

18. How often or when do you work out?

I work out at least three times a week but I wish I had the time to work out every day.

19. Left handed or right handed?

Right handed.

20. How tall are you?

I am 5’11”! It is difficult and frustrating for me to find clothes most of the time.

21. Do you speak any foreign languages?

I took Spanish for a good portion of middle school and high school. Now, I study French and plan on graduating with a French minor.

22. How many pets do you have?

I have a fabulous Beta fish named Fabio. However, I am a cat lady at heart and plan on getting one whenever I move to an apartment that allows pets.

23. How often do you post on your blog?

I do not think it is fair to ask this question considering this is my second post. Hopefully I can post at least once a week, if not more.

24. Do you read comments posted on blogs?

It depends. I always read the comments on my blog though and I appreciate every single one of you who were so welcoming to me on my first post!

25. Do you keep a list of products to try as you see other posts?

Yes. There are several products that I have my eye on. I plan on doing a haul/review here as soon as I get them. Stay tuned!

26. How did you come up with your blog name?

My blog name is my name with the word “love” in front of it because my name was already taken by another user.  I also thought it was a cute blog name.

27. What kind of camera do you use for your photographs?

I use either my Canon or iPhone.

28. How often do you clean your house?

I clean my dorm room every other week.

29. What’s your favorite color?

Purple.

30. Do you swear?

I try not to.

31. What are you doing with the rest of your day?

I am finishing up any homework and studying for all of my upcoming tests. To say the least, my life is not glamorous or exciting.

That concludes the Beauty Blogger Tag! Thank you so much for reading and please feel free to do the tag.

Love,

Larisa Rose

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