Drugstore Foundation Haul & Question

So over the past few weeks, I've treat myself to a few new drugstore foundations. The Cover Girl one that I really want to try has remained elusive as many of the stores I have gone to don't have the #105 shade in stock or seem to plan to for that matter as it's not a part of the display. Regardless, I have all of these new goodies. Is there a particular foundation you would want me to review first? Remember, I have dry pale skin so I'm curious how some of the matte formulas will perform. Anyone?

What I have at the moment:

• Rimmel Lasting Finish with Comfort Serum Skin Perfecting Foundation in #091 light ivory (also a bit elusive to find)
• Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless in #110 Porcelain 
• New York Color (NYC) BB cream 5 in 1 Skin Perfector #01 Light
• New York Color (NYC) BB cream 5 in 1 Skin Perfector Instant Matte #01 Light
• L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte in #101 Classic Ivory
• Revlon Photoready Insta-Fix in #110 Ivory

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Mascara for Sensitive Eyes/Contact Wearers

My husband indicated that one of his colleagues asked him to ask me about mascara. She is a contact wearer and indicated she needed a waterproof formula for sensitive eyes. I wrote what my husband called a small essay but I thought it was useful information that anyone could use!

Q: JT help! What mascaras would you recommend for sensitive-eyed contact lens wearers that prefer waterproof formulas?

I'm not sure what price point you are looking at, but you have a few options. First of all, anything that is "waterproof" is going to have not so nice ingredients in it which may cause eye irritation if yours are particularly sensitive. If it's only the contacts you are concerned about, you are likely more worried about flaking (which can occur with any mascara and especially drier formulas or tubes that have dried out).

If your eyes are sensitive, I would recommend Neutrogena Healthy Volume mascara. Fairly inexpensive at the drugstore and the Neutrogena line in general is known for putting out products that aren't nearly as irritating as some of the more standard lines. A few years ago, I had a bad case of tearing eyes and this didn't add extra irritation.

If you have some money to spend, I would recommend tubing mascaras. They coat the lashes in a coil and are easily removed with warm water and gentle pressure. One of the more popular ones is Blinc (which you can get at Sephora). A plus, if it doesn't work for you, you can easily return it (same for the Neutrogena at CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens).

If you get flaking, you may need to replace your mascara more often. The recommended time frame is generally 3-6 months depending on the formula. Another thing I want to mention is removal. If you aren't removing all of your mascara, it can lead to irritation, especially if specks get in your eyes overnight. I would highly recommend an oil-based cleanser just to ensure you are getting every bit of mascara off. Even the most sensitive eye friendly mascaras will cause irritation if they aren't thoroughly removed.

Agree or disagree? If you have any additional tips for my husband's coworker, I can always follow up!

Are Pricey Foundations Worth It?

I've had some pretty entertaining conversations with my family since telling them I was a beauty blogger. Up there is the conversation I had with my brother about skincare. He asked me why his skin was breaking out and eventually, we determined that the body lotion he was using as face cream might have been the culprit. Dermatologist tested does not mean face-safe!

But most of the time, the conversations have merit. This weekend my mom asked me if expensive foundations were worth it. As you may know, I've reviewed a few foundations here of varying price points. Foundation seems to be a very personal preference sort of thing. Those that have darker or lighter skin tones or drier or oilier skins will generally like different foundations. As I'm quite pale, it was only recently that I could find a drugstore foundation that was a decent color match, even still, I can't wear all of the lines. No matter how "tan" (major air quotes there) I get, I can't find a color match in Maybelline foundations. My mother, on the other hand, is a bit darker than me and can probably find a match in most brands.

Most of the time when I spend a lot of money on foundation, it's due to the color. For my wedding makeup, I bit the bullet and bought the $65 Prescriptives Custom Blend foundation. It was the only foundation that I had that was a perfect match and they added some moisture so it wore well on my dry skin. Otherwise, most foundations will do. The appeal of department store makeup is partially the experience (unless you're at a snobby counter) and partially the packaging. Drugstore packaging has improved tremendously but nothing is quite as nice feeling as a hefty glass bottle from the likes of Dior or Chanel.

Just as an example, right now I'm loving the Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder (~$13.99) over the more pricey and messy Bare Escentuals ($26) but I am not a fan of the Physicians Formula Youth Wear or the Cover Girl Nature Luxe. 

I can't say that high end foundations are "better". I can say that it depends on what you want to get out of the foundation. If you enjoy splurging on a foundation, go for it! On the other hand, If you find something at the drugstore that works for you, there's nothing wrong with using and loving it.