A Comparison....ELF vs. MAC.....

Hey all, Happy 4th of July!!!!

So I've been wanting to do this comparison for some time now.  As large of an ELF fan as I am, I've seen several comparisons of the Studio Pressed Powders that have stated that they're very similar to MAC's Studio Fix Powder Foundation.  As I'm not going to be purchasing any MAC in the future due to their selling in China, I've been on the lookout for a good substitute for one of my favorite powder foundations.  I do love my minerals still, but there's nothing like grabbing a pressed powder and slapping it on my face very quickly if I'm running behind in my busy mornings.  So I compared my MAC NC25 Studio Fix to my ELF Studio Pressed Powder in Porcelaine.  MAC retails for $27 for 15 g or 0.52 ounces, and ELF is $3 for 0.317 oz or 9 g.  So it's a little smaller than the MAC but.....$24 cheaper!  I can buy two ELF for $6 and get more than MAC for $21 less.  :D

First of all, color wise, Porcelaine is pretty much DEAD ON NC25.  Porcelaine is the palest shade ELF carries, so if you're lighter than NC25 then it wouldn't be an option.  I can actually use either Porcelaine or Sand, which is one shade deeper, with no oxidation.  I prefer Porcelaine though.

As for coverage.....they're EXACT.  Not kidding.  Who knew a pressed powder meant to set your liquid foundation would give full coverage like that but it does.  If we're 100% honest, I actually PREFER the coverage I get from my ELF!  It made my pores look smaller and I didn't use any concealer.   The ELF is a little more powdery when applying, but I would expect that with a more inexpensive product.  It's NOT however, more powdery on the skin.

Today I did a test.  First of all I apologize for the quality of the pics.  My camera phone was acting up and it's the only camera I have atm.  On one side I applied my ELF Porcelaine, and on the other my MAC Studio Fix NC25.

This is an all ELF face, except for the MAC Studio Fix.  As I hope you can see, the color is exact as is the coverage, with the exception of my pores on the MAC side appearing larger.  I also feel that the MAC side, while not as powdery when applying, looked more powdery while worn.

Here's a closer pic.....I'm DEFINITELY going to have to invest in a good camera soon.

At the end of the day my feelings were the same.....I preferred the ELF side.  It wore better throughout the day with less sliding and wear down from my oily skin.  I don't feel that my fine lines were made worse either.

So there you have it.....ELF is a winner in my book!  Think I found a good replacement for the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation!!!

Foundation Comparison.....NARS and Too Faced Powder Foundations

Not too long ago I got a sample of Too Faced Amazing Face foundations, both the liquid and the powder to try.  I did NOT like the liquid....it made my face overly oily and felt heavy, and set aside the powder for awhile, but recently broke it back out to use.  I will compare them for color, coverage, and oil control.  Those are my largest concerns with foundations.  My oily skin has breakthrough by lunch usually, even with good skincare and primers.  I like decent coverage due to being acne prone.  Also, color matching is for me sometimes an issue.

These are the three foundations I have.  L to R:  NARS Barcelona, NARS Fiji, and Too Faced Warm Vanilla.  I bought Barcelona when I was a bit darker toned, and it now tends to go peachy on me.  Fiji is a very close match, but the Too Faced Warm Vanilla is even better.

Swatches, L to R:  The dark swatch is Barcelona.  Right above my little moles (hee hee) is Fiji, and right next to my knuckles is Warm Vanilla.  While Fiji blends in fairly well, Warm Vanilla is the ONLY one that melts right in so you really can't see it.

One thing I like about both these formulations is the coverage.  It's variable, similar to the mineral foundations I love.  All I have to do is add layers.  I can change the tool I use to apply also to get better or more natural coverage.  I do find that I only prefer sponges for touch ups (even a flocked sponge) rather than a full application.  I usually use a flat top brush, like my synthetic jumbo flat top or my ELF face brush.  They both work excellently for this.  For lighter coverage I'll use a wider, less dense brush like my Ecotools  Bronzer Brush.

The formulas of both are very silky and creamy; however, the Too Faced feels just a touch more on the soft side on my skin.

Where one stands out as a true HG is in oil control.  I thought the NARS was as close as I could get to a HG for powder foundations prior to trying the Too Faced.  With my NARS I get oily breakthrough at around lunch but it's not terrible by any means.  However, Too Faced Amazing Face has an ingredient in it that they call Regu-Seb that controls and reduces oil production.  I can say without a doubt at least for me that this is true!!!  I got NO oily breakthrough until around 3:30 PM....which is the majority of the day!  And that breakthrough was far less than even the NARS gives me.  That in and of itself makes this product a HG for me!  It softened and balanced out the imperfections in skin tone and I feel that it makes my skin look close to flawless!  I was told that by a stylist as well.

As far as price points, both are on the higher end.  NARS powder foundations are $45 for 0.4 oz, and Too Faced is $32 for 0.32 oz.  So while the Too Faced is a bit smaller in size (0.08 oz) it's also $13 cheaper!

Will I buy the NARS Powder Foundation again?  Possibly.  I do like it a lot, and it works well as a pressed powder over their Sheer Matte Foundation too.

Will I buy Too Faced Amazing Face again?  YOU BETCHA!!!! It's a true HG for me!  Everything I look for in a foundation is in this....amazing oil control, blurring of imperfections, pores and fine lines, good coverage and durability, and color tone.  I do like the NARS a lot, but the Too Faced just edged it out for sure!

Have you tried either of these foundations?  What did you think?

Mystic Rollick and Romping....SN....and a MAC to SN Clone Comparison

This is my first full Silk Naturals look!  I'm very excited.  This was yesterday.

Oh, btw, still having those goofy Blogger Commenting issues.  I'll catch up once they fix the dang thing.  GAH!

Eyes:

Monistat powder gel as primer
Silk Naturals Clear cream liner on browbone
Silk Naturals Amethyst cream liner on lid
Silk Naturals Mystic GWP (gift with purchase) on inner 1/2 of lid
Silk Naturals Romp on outer 1/2 of lid
NARS Abyssinia on browbone
Silk Naturals Amethyst cream liner upper lashline
Maybelline Define-A-Line ebony black liner lower lashline and waterline
Silk Naturals Rollick in crease and dry over lower liner
Maybelline Great Lash Big Washable Mascara in Blackest Black

Face:

Monistat Chafing Powder Gel as primer
Silk Naturals Tinted Oil control Blur
Silk Naturals Medium Coverage Ivory Foundation in my mix
Silk Naturals Tinted Oil Control Blur
Silk Naturals Lady Blush

Lips:

Silk Naturals Kisser Slickers gloss stick in Fig Leaf


A few observations:

1.  My first foundation mix was just a hair on the dark side for me.  I've since added one more scoop of the white which is PERFECT.  I mixed up a whole jar of it.  And the nice thing is I'll be able to use the Buttery Gold undertone powder to darken up a jar of Meow Sleek Abyssinian that I haven't been able to use (I was accidentally sent it instead of Frisky Abyssinian) so I can use it now too!

2.  The foundation covered well and stayed all day with VERY LITTLE oily breakthrough...I didn't have to repowder at all and one oil blotting paper took care of it!  That's a first for me.  I think we may have a winner!

3.  The monistat as primer both for my eyes and face are looking pretty good so far!  The shadows stayed all day long and my pores were much less noticable!

4.  The kisser slicker gloss stick is more pigmented than I thought, but that's a good thing in my book!  It's closer to a lipstick in consistancy than a gloss. 

I also thought I'd do a swatch of the two MAC products that I bought Silk naturals dupes of.

Top Left:  MAC Idol Eyes Eyeshadow; Top Right:  Silk Naturals Idolize Eyeshadow
Bottom Left:  MAC Dame Blush; Bottom Right:  Silk Naturals Lady Matte Blush

Idolize isn't an exact dupe in my book, but close enough to get the same type of effect in your looks.  Lady is much closer to Dame, but Dame is a bit more strongly pigmented.  Not a bad thing for me, as I tend to be heavy handed with blushes. 

Have you bought any Silk Naturals Dupes recently?