Make Up Forever HD Foundation

(Face: MUFE HD Foundation, YSL Touche Eclat, Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in #16, Benefit They're Real Mascara and Topshop Innocent Lipstick)

When I went on holiday in June, I knew the first thing I'd buy in Sephora would be some Make Up Forever products - the first being their HD Foundation.  I'd been wanting to try it for over a year, but as it's so hard to get hold of in the UK, I had to keep wanting on.  

I was matched up to shade 117 and I also bought the HD Primer in shade 1 (the green one) to go with. The foundation is medium coverage and is definitely buildable, depending on how you like your finish.  I usually use 1-2 pumps all over my face and then sometimes add an extra half pump on areas need that need a little extra coverage.  It's very lightweight in feel, I like how it doesn't sit or cake on my face and it's also very easy to work into the skin. It's also oil-free which is handy for those with oilier skins.  When applying, I use my Sigma F80, which gives a flawless finish. 

I prefer to use this foundation when I'm going out for special occasions where there might be flash photography. There is no SPF in the product, so it's definitely a no no when it comes to going out in the sun, unless you apply a little SPF beforehand but I feel that deters away from the products purpose.  After wearing this all day it doesn't oxidise but may need a touch up with powder, especially on my T-Zone.  For me it fits the bill, light but enough coverage to even out my skin tone.  

This product isn't the cheapest, retailing at £29.95 and can also be a pain to get your hands on. Aside from eBay, there's only one official UK stockist of MUFE which is Precious About Makeup (aka PAM). 

Have you tried this foundation?

Sephora Classic Mineral Powder Brush vs. Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki

A little while ago I posted a 'vs' blog on foundations (read here) and it went down really well.  This time I'm comparing two of my face brushes, the Sephora Classic Mineral Powder Brush and the Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki.  

Sephora Classic Mineral Powder Brush #45

I picked up this brush whilst in Spain in June. I'd heard a few great reviews and wondered if I'd like it more than the Sigma F80.  It was around €16 (£13) when I bought it which I thought was reasonable. Although the name suggests this is for use with mineral products, I use this with liquid foundations.  The brush is soft to touch but I find that when I apply product it can feel a little scratchy but not to the point where you can't stand it.  It's great at buffing in base products for a flawless finish - my favourite foundation in conjunction with the brush being MUFE's HD foundation.  Unlike the Sigma F80, this is a rounded kabuki and is far fluffier and a little less dense.  The bristles are synthetic meaning that they clean easier and because this brush isn't so dense, I find it dries within a couple of hours.  

Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush

I've had this brush for around 10 months now and I love it.  It was £14.99 from Love Makeup, who stock a lot of the Sigma brushes.  This is a great liquid foundation brush, the bristles are extremely soft and glide over the face nicely, creating a flawless finish.  I really like using Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua with this brush as it gives the perfect finish and helps to achieve a higher coverage.  As you can see, the bristles on the F80 are more tightly packed, making the brush far denser in comparison to the Sephora.  As well as foundation, I also find I can use this brush with my concealer and also it's great at getting under my eye area with my YSL Touche Eclat.  The synthetic bristles mean that again, it cleans fairly easily, although as I've used it quite a bit, it's stained now. Might be time to get a replacement! This brush takes a long time to dry, I washed all my make up brushes yesterday morning and when I took this photo's a day later, the middle bristles were still a little damp.  

Both brushes have pro's and con's but are great at general base make up application.  For a smoother feeling, all around product brush the Sigma F80 is great but if you'd rather one brush for one job then the Sephora is equally as great.  The only downside to the Sigma brush is the time it takes to dry whereas the Sephora brush takes a lot less.  Right now I'm reaching for the F80 as I feel I can do it all - foundation, concealer and under eye concealer in one but I do fluctuate from time to time to the Sephora brush.  

Unfortunately the Sephora brush is extremely difficult to get hold of in the UK - it's time they came back to the UK and opened up some stores!

Have you tried either brushes?