I've collected a number of Avon foundations over time, plus a couple of concealers and primers. I was going to review the concealers and primers separately, but I think they fit in pretty well with this blog entry. There's a good reason that my Avon foundation collection is growing, so I'd like to share their pros and cons. I want to be quite detailed, so beware that this entry may be a bit of an essay...
I'll also share a few words at the end about the Colour Trend Oil Control Pressed Powder, but for more detailed notes you can
read my earlier blog entry by clicking here.
Images: The images show my skin with and without each product so that you can compare the results, with the exception of the facial primers and the Oil Control Pressed Powder.
Logically, I'll begin with the
primers. The face primers are both basically the same, only one has the added bonus of giving an illuminating effect. Neither of them actually claim to be primers in the product descriptions online or in the brochures, but they are used in the same way and have the same results. Avon also produce an eye shadow primer which it seems is no longer available from the Avon website, but I'll review it anyway as I'm sure you'll be able to buy it elsewhere online. Maybe it's time they came up with a lip primer, too...
Avon MagiX Face Perfector: This little miracle's results are so good that they rival those of the
No7 Airbrush Away Primer, which you can read about in my earlier review by clicking here. It minimises pores and fine lines, and effortlessly evens the complexion. It's "gel-powder" formula leaves the skin totally matte, and feeling irresistibly smooth and powder-soft. It also has that oh-so-important added SPF20 - a must-have, not only in the summer months, but all year round (
read more information on Ultraviolet Radiation by clicking here). It also preps the skin for make up application by giving you a smooth, even "canvas" on which to apply your foundation, plus it makes your make up last longer! Avon say it gives a "flawless, matte finish for up to 10 hours" - that's some damn good staying-power. I'm very impressed! I only have a trial-size product at the moment, but I'm sure I'll be purchasing the full-sized one very soon.
Click here to purchase MagiX Face Perfector from the Avon website.
Avon MagiX Illuminating Face Perfector: This products results are very similar to the regular Face Perfector. It leaves this skin feeling feather-soft, the complexion appears more even, pores and fine lines appear reduced, and it preps the skin and holds on to your make up for longer. It contains SPF15 - I'm not sure why it's not as high as the regular product. This one has the added bonus of illuminating your skin - I just love that attractive, healthy-looking glow! I'm running low on this stuff, and I'd love to buy more, but for some reason Avon have discontinued it - I'm sure you'll still be able to track it down somewhere on the web!
Click here to view MagiX Illuminating Face Perfector on the Avon website.
Avon Eye Shadow Primer: Until Avon released this product, they'd only sold a "lifting" eye shadow primer for mature skin, which was only available as part of the
Anew Beauty Youth-Awakening Eyeshadow And Primer Kit - luckily, I don't have any signs of aging and so this product was no use to me, therefore I was pleased when this primer went on sale which is suitable for all skin types and ages! :)
It's purpose is to create a "smooth canvas" on the to make eye shadow more even and to prevent colour from creasing and fading. There's only one shade, "Light Beige", which worried me as it looked almost yellow in the brochure! Thankfully, in reality, it's more of a pink-ish nude which blends easily with my skin tone - as you can see from the image, it could also be used alone to even the eyelid skin tone, or could even make a great concealer! It comes in a simple little glass pot, but a little goes a long way so you get plenty of bang for your buck (annoyingly, I can't find the actual measurement in
ml anywhere). It could be applied with an eye shadow brush, but it blends much easier with fingers. The smooth, creamy consistency dries quickly to an oil-absorbing powder-soft texture, creating an ideal base for applying colour.
Image - right: With these photos I'm aiming to show you the format that the primer comes in, and the completely matte nude base it creates when dry. As you can see, it could also be used alone to even the eyelid skin tone, or could even make a great concealer!
Click here to view Eye Shadow Primer on the Avon website.
Let's more on to
concealers. I own three from Avon, one of which I own in the wrong shade (
Ideal Flawless Concealer Stick), but I'll be reviewing it anyway.
Avon Ideal Flawless Concealer Stick: This popular concealer is available in 3 shades, and, as previously mentioned, I have the wrong one - I needed "Light", but it was sent me in "Medium"! For this reason, I've included photos of the packaging and a swatch on my hand (
see image - right), but I'm not showing it on my face as frankly it looks bloody ridiculous. I'm reviewing it anyway, by my comments will be about wear, consistency, ease of use, etc etc... everything but the shade itself, basically!
First of all, it's presented as a "twist-up stick", like a lipstick tube, which is easy to apply and blend with the fingers or a concealer brush. Everything from the
Ideal Flawless range is designed to give a flawless complexion. This concealer's thick oil-free consistency gives long-lasting full coverage which masks imperfections without feeling heavy or looking shiny. I find that the stick drags the under-eye area which feels unpleasant and can damage the delicate skin, so I advise you to apply it to your fingers and rub them together before application to warm and "loosen" the product. To match this product's coverage ideally a foundation with a similar coverage should be used to give an even result - try
Avon Ideal Flawless Cream-To-Powder Foundation or
Avon Mattifying Foundation (see below, in my reviews of foundations).
Click here to purchase Ideal Flawless Concealer Stick from the Avon Website.
Avon MagiX Eye Radiance Wand: I have this clever product in "fair", which blends effortlessly with my porcelain skin tone - It's only available in two shades. It doesn't actually claim to be a concealer, but that's the effect it has. It gives a natural-looking result - usually I'd opt for a concealer with a fuller coverage, but this one's light texture is great in the summer months. It also leaves the under eye area feeling cashmere-soft, and the brightening effect makes your eyes look more youthful "awake".A little goes a long way, so although you may think £8.00 is a little expensive for a concealer, it should last you ages. It's wear is pretty good, too, it holds onto your skin for hours and doesn't set into the creases of your lids. I find it also corrects redness, so although it states to be an eye make up product, I use it anywhere I want to eliminate redness - many people find they get redness around the nose. I find it is best applied over foundation, as it sets to a powdery texture which rubs off quite easily.
Click here to purchase MagiX Eye Radiance Wand from the Avon website.
Colour Trend Perfect and Hide Concealer: This concealer stick is available in two shades, I have it in "light". This one has very full coverage which hides imperfections well, but you may find you need a lighter concealer in the summer months. It's a creamy concealer stick in a handy "lipstick bullet" format. It has pretty good wear, especially considering the price, but I sometimes find I need to touch it up a little under my eyes. Also, as it's coverage is so full, a little goes a long way, so you get plenty of bang for your buck! It has a slightly shiny-looking finish, so you will need to use powder over it to make it matte. It's creamy consistency can set into fine lines and wrinkles, so for more mature skin, try
Avon Anew Beauty Age-Transforming Concealer instead.
Click here to purchase Colour Trend Perfect and Hide Concealer from the Avon Website.
Time to discuss one of my all time favorite beauty inventions -
foundation! I can tell you now that there aren't many disadvantages to the five Avon foundations that I own, if truth be told. As long as you pick the right one for your skin, you'll be laughing!
Avon Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Cream-to-Powder Foundation: Aside from this product having another of Avon's unnecessarily long product names, this is great stuff! I use "Ivory", which is the lightest of 12 shades. First of all, I love the packaging. It's Avon's usual sleek and stylish look, but it's also practical, as the compact also contains a usable mirror (i.e. it's not a cheap plastic one that makes you look distorted) and an application sponge. Most application tools including with make up are rubbish, but the foundation sponge included with this product is perfect for flawless application. It's also stored in a second compartment which is separate from the foundation and mirror, so it doesn't make a mess of the compact (
see photo - above right). The creamy formula glides onto the skin perfectly and dries to a soft powder which lasts for hours - it takes a little longer to dry than I expected, but this may vary depending on your skin type (mine is combination). It gives a fantastic full coverage that I love, effortlessly concealing imperfections and evening the skin tone, without feeling heavy or looking "fake". Nice one, Avon!
Click here to purchase Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Cream-to-Powder Foundation from the Avon website.
Avon Ideal Flawless Matte Mousse Foundation: I have this amazing product in "Ivory", which is the lightest of 7 shades. I was hesitant about using this for the first time as I've had reactions to some other brands' mousse foundations, but I've had no issues with this one. This makes a great "everyday" foundation, but I also use it a lot on myself and others in my photo shoots, as it's 100% matte finish covers imperfections perfectly and doesn't reflect any unwanted light (see
http://facebook.com/ttbphoto.page or
www.tuesdaytbryan.com/). It also has outstanding wear, so I don't need to do any touch-ups. It leaves the skin feeling velvety-smooth and it's excellent for evening the complexion. Avon say it has light-medium coverage, but it's very build-able, so you can get fuller coverage if you so desire. It's lightweight texture is suitable for use all year round, however if you have dry skin you may not find it's not for you, so try one with moisturising qualities such as
Solutions Gentle BB Beauty Balm, which I'll share further on in this review. No application tools are required, you can just slap it straight on and blend it with your fingers. If I had to make one complaint it would be that the 18ml pot isn't enough for me, as I sometimes use a fair amount. If I absolutely had to choose a favorite, this foundation would probably be the one!
Click here to view and purchase Ideal Flawless Matte Mousse Foundation from the Avon website.
Avon MagiX Cashmere Advanced Foundation: I have this in "Ivory", the lightest of 6 shades. As the name suggests, it gives the skin a cashmere-soft texture (as does everything I've used from the MagiX range). It has amazing 100% matte coverage, without feeling heavy or making the skin look unnatural. Imperfections and pores instantly appear reduced, and the complexion looks more even. Skin appears more healthy and radiant. It has great wear, too, which holds onto your skin all day, even in the summer heat. It contains that all-important SPF15, but remember not to rely on the SPF in your make up alone for sun protection. For some reason, it stings my eyes when I sweep it across my lids (and it smells of shampoo...weird coincidence), other than that I've had no adverse reactions. Again, personally I'd avoid this product for use on dry skin as it has a powdery finish - try
Solutions Gentle BB Beauty Balm instead for a moisturising and caring alternative.
Click here to purchase MagiX Cashmere Advanced Foundation from the Avon website.
Avon Mattifying Foundation: I have this product in "Ivory", which is the lightest of 7 shades. Avon have recently discontinued this product which I'm really annoyed about, but it's so good that I had to share it with you anyway, plus I'm sure you'll still be able to find it somewhere on the internet. If you have combination or oily skin, this stuff is a miracle. Mine is combination (though luckily I never suffer from outbreaks), and this product makes this skin completely matte, and keeps it matte all day! It has very full coverage which flawlessly hides imperfections, however it's consistency is slightly too heavy for the summer heat - to achieve lighter coverage from the same foundation, try mixing it with a little sun cream or moisturiser. The perfectly matte finish makes this another great product for use on myself and my clients during my photo shoots, as it doesn't reflect any unwanted light (see
http://facebook.com/ttbphoto.page or
www.tuesdaytbryan.com/). I really am disappointed that Avon discontinued this stuff - I'll panic when I run out!
Avon Solutions BB Gentle Beauty Balm: I have this product in "light", which is one of just two available shades. Some people will argue that this isn't a foundation, but frankly I couldn't give a toss - I use it just as I use foundation, so in this blog entry it shall go! This new addition to the Avon family is a great all-round product. As we all know, a BB cream or tinted moisuriser is a great summer product, as other foundations can be too heavy in the heat. Plus it has SPF15, which is a summer essential, but remember not to rely only on the SPF in your make up for protection from the sun's harmful rays! As I said, I have this product in "light" - when I first used it I was worried that it was too dark for my porcelain skin tone (
see "swatch" photo - bottom right), but thankfully it blends really well. The 30ml tube looks quite small, but you only need a touch as a little goes a very long way! The "long-wearing pigments" cling to your skin all day, so there's no need for touch-ups. As I've previously mentioned, this one is great for all skin types,
even it it's dry and sensitive. It contains "butterdock
and the Chinese jujube fruit, full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals." It also hydrates the skin and blurs imperfections.
Click here to purchase Solutions BB Gentle Beauty Balm from the Avon website.
Avon ExtraLasting Liquid Foundation: This foundation is available in 6 shades, and I have it in the lightest, "Ivory". It comes in a stylish glass bottle with a "pump" mechanism to dispense the product. The foundation itself has a delicate, moisture-rich liquid consistency that gives natural-looking, light-medium coverage. It's lightweight enough for use all year round, even in the summer heat, and it contains that all-important SPF12. It's suitable for all skin types, but it's moisturising formula is particularly useful if you have dry skin. Avon say it hydrates the skin with "
67% increased moisture after application". It gives a semi-matte finish, so I use powder to set my foundation and illuminate shine. This foundation is from the ExtraLasting range, so let's talk about it's wear. Avon say their "
exclusive ColourLock Complex locks in colour", resulting in "
multi-tasking make-up that keeps up with you" - Great for us ladies with busy lifestyles who don't want to worry about touch-ups and colour fading! Avon say it's "
water, sweat and pollutant resistant", and gives up to 18 hour wear - impressive! I also have a lipstick and an eyeshadow from the ExtraLasting range which both have great staying power, too.
Click here to purchase ExtraLasting Liquid Foundation from the Avon website.
Avon Colour Trend Oil Control Pressed Powder: I have this product in "translucent", and I'm disappointed to say that it's now only available in "medium", which is far too dark for my fair skin! Anyway, as I said in the "intro" to this blog entry, I'm only going to discuss this stuff briefly, as I have mentioned it in more detail in a previous review,
which you can read by clicking here. I always use a powder over my foundation to set my make up and keep any shine at bay - a must if you have combination skin, like me! Basically I use this one because it does the job well, has great staying power, and it's dirt cheap. Bring back the "translucent" shade, Avon!
Click here to purchase Colour Trend Oil Control Pressed Powder from the Avon website.
So, there you have it! I hope you've found this "essay-style" review helpful and interesting if you are looking for a new foundation, particularly one from Avon. Thanks for reading!
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Tuesday.xo
Avon Shop: http://avonshop.co.uk/
Avon Reviews: http://reviews.avonshop.co.uk/
Below: I achieved my flawless complexion using Ideal Flawless Cream-to-Powder Foundation and MagiX Eye Radiance Wand.♥
© Tuesday T. Bryan Photography
DO NOT USE IMAGES WITHOUT PERMISSION. Copyrighted material
By Tuesday T. Bryan.
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