FOTD and Some Recent Let-Downs

We all know that I'm forever preoccupied with finding perfect super-pale foundations, namely foundations that work great on dry skin (but can handle my oily nose) and have a neutral or cool yellow undertone. And while I haven't always found formulas that work for me, I like to think I've provided a decent database of products that a wide variety of fair-skinned folks can use.


Now it's time to add Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation in 001 to the "Just Doesn't Work For Renee" list. Don't get me wrong: it's layerable, it feels nice on my skin, and it doesn't exacerbate dry, flaky patches. And while it isn't the absolute BEST on oily skin (which is to be expected, given that it's a moisturizing foundation), it doesn't completely break down in to a greasy mess. No, this is a pretty nice foundation. It's just too pink for me, and for some reason, it's one of the few foundations out there that oxidizes on my face.

Even in this series documenting the initial application, something seems off about it. It actually starts out pale enough for me, but you can tell that two layers of it is far too pink for me. By the time we hit the 15 minute mark...

...it was definitely too dark and too pink for me. Such a shame; I think I could've liked this one. Obviously, I'll keep the rest of my (very generous) sample for swatching purposes, but I won't continue trying to wear the actual foundation.

Also visible in this FOTD photo are two other products that have led me to admit defeat: the Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Tremble and the Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Abstraction. The first Illamasqua powder blush I tried out was the uber-pastel pink, Katie, and it was such a powdery, awful mess that I swore off of the formulation. Then I thought a darker color might work better, so I swapped for Tremble. Nope! It's a powdery, dry mess. If I'm going to use a powder blush, I prefer one that's tightly packed and doesn't make my cheeks look even more parched. As for the IdO: we already knew I'd decided not to repurchase it, but I've come to realization that I'm only forcing myself to use this particular pot, especially now that it's drying up. I'm going to scoop out the product and sanitize the jar for future use.

But there's some light at the end of the tunnel! I've been remembering how much I love two other IdOs--Epatant and Illuisoire--and because I've been re-hired for my adjunct faculty position, I've decided to reward myself with some of my old favorites. More on that when they get here; for now, here are some swatches from my Illusion d'Ombre revew!