first impression | Denisse Samantha

I can’t believe that I haven’t been blogging again for few months now 😦 I had this post on my drafts for ages but never really got the chance to publish it but finally here it is. I will be sharing my thoughts on Milani Conceal and Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation and Concealer. I feel like Milani is not a brand that we are particularly aware of here in the UK. Therefore, initially I was sceptical about it and did not know what to expect but I ended up loving this foundation! I feel like it is one of the best that I own. I have been using it so much for the past few months and I tend to use this for work too as I am usually on the go and not bothered to do a complete make up look. If you are from the UK, you can purchase Milani products on their website or on beautybay.com.

Pros

Full and flawless coverage with a satin finish

Blends very creamy and feels light on the skin

Buildable and good for hiding blemishes

An excellent cheaper alternative to some high-end foundations

Stays on all day most especially if a primer has been applied before use

Affordable as it is a drugstore brand

Sleek packaging; glass bottle with a pump

Excellent for photography (no SPF)

Cons

Does not offer a wide colour choices especially for pale skin

Thick consistency and could possibly feel uncomfortable to use for some people

Can sometimes enhance pores and set to creases and fine lines

Tips

Set with a powder to avoid being oily after few hours of application

Make sure that the face is hydrated and moisturised

Prime the face for longer staying power

Verdict

For me Milani conceal and perfect foundation is a 4 out of 5. The main reason for this is because of the coverage it gives (medium to full) and its staying power. Obviously, it is not perfect and I still think that concealer is needed but I feel like it does much better than some of the drugstore foundations that I own. I have also mixed this with other products, for instance if I want to have a lighter coverage I would normally mix it with my moisturiser to give a very natural look. I also feel like it is easy to blend and the price is affordable. However, as mentioned the Milani brand is not as accessible for us here in the UK therefore picking shades online can be a problem. Overall, it is worth the price and I would recommend it.

Please comment below and let me know what your current favourite foundation is? I would love to know as I am continuously on a hunt for foundations that will work on my skin!

Lots of love from,

I have always been intrigued with NYX products even from before. Few years back, NYX was not readily available here in the UK as how it is now. It was so difficult to get hold of the brand as I am usually left with no option but to pay a ridiculous amount for shipping fee coming from the US. However, now is a different story as it is available in Boots, their own NYX store and online excluding the high amount of shipping fee.

Here is a little NYX cosmetics haul, I have picked up:

NYX tame and frame tinted brow pomade

NYX sculpt and highlight face duo

NYX color correcting powder in banana

NYX eyebrow pencils in dark brown and medium brown

NYX soft matte lip cream in Copenhagen

NYX born to glow liquid illuminator

NYX jumbo eye pencil in milk

NYX lingerie lipstick in teddy and ruffle trim

NYX lingerie in teddy and ruffle trim- I have been so obsessed with liquid lipstick lately. I’m sure you girls can relate. There are so many good ones out in the market and I just want them all! I’m so happy with these two shades that I picked up. I feel like they are the ones that I wanted as I was going for a warm rich brown and a nude shade that won’t wash me out. However, I must admit I did struggle to decide which ones to purchase as I feel like there are a lot of shades that are very similar. At some point when I swatched them, I couldn’t tell the difference between the three shades from far away (baby doll, lace detail and satin ribbon).

These are the swatches for the two shades I picked up, as you can see they are both gorgeous!

Color correcting powder- I love this one! I have used other banana powders like Ben Nye previously, which is much more expensive than this NYX one. Surprisingly, I feel like it works the same for me. I usually apply this to set my concealer and it does brighten up the eye area. Some people also use this to set their foundation.

Sculpt and highlight- I am liking this so far as it does a good job in contouring my face. I literally put the tiniest amount and it works perfectly well for me. I like the creamy texture of it and how easy it is to blend. The problem with the one I picked up is the highlighter does not match my skin tone. It is super light on my skin and I struggle to make it work. I am yet to find a way as to how I can use the lighter shade.

Liquid illuminator- I am not sure if I like this one just yet. The one I picked up has a pink tone to it. It is nice as it gives a luminous glow but the thing I’m unsure about is the shade. I usually tend to layer it with a powder highlighter just to tone down the pinkness. I have read reviews and people have mentioned that they love it and use it on its own. So perhaps it is just either my skin tone or personal preference on how I want my highlight to look like.

Eyebrow pencils- I love these and yes both shades! They are both repurchases as I have been using them for few years already. I feel like I am in between shades of the dark and medium brown but it is perfect when I combine them together. I love how it gives me a natural-looking brow.

Jumbo eye pencil- This eye pencil especially in shade milk has been raved about few years back within the beauty community. I have never tried it until now. It does a good job on making eyeshadows more vibrant and it can also be used for a little bit of highlighting in the inner corner of the eyes. However, I sometimes find that the product is not very blendable. It can pull and tug on the eyelid.

Soft matte lip cream- I believe the lipsticks from this collection were my first matte lip creams. I feel like this range started the hype for matte lipsticks. The shade I picked up recently is Copenhagen and I love it. It gives a perfect vampy vibe to any make up look.

Tinted brow pomade- This is my favourite one out of all my purchases. I have used it so much since I bought it. It is so easy to use and it glides onto the skin and eyebrow hairs. I usually combine this with the NYX eyebrow pencil.