Revlon nearly naked foundation review and comparison

Revlon has closely copied Urban Decay's naked foundation! You can check out my review for Urban Decay's version here.

Unfortunately, nearly naked does not come with a foundation pump. Why Revlon why? And, this Canadian version does not come with SPF 20 like the US version. WTH!? That makes me mad.

 I got the lightest shade, 110 ivory. I thought it would be too pink but it actually works well on my skin (NC10). It blends in nicely, and the finish is very skin-like

Nearly naked 110 ivory swatch on hand:

blended:

And here are the before and after pics on my face. Yeah I know I labeled it 'almost naked' lol. oops.

As you can see it is medium coverage, and easily covers redness and scars. I love the finish of this. It blends so beautifully.

So, here is the break down on how Revlon compares to Urban Decay's formula:

Price:
Revlon nearly naked $10.97 CAD for 1oz / UD naked skin $45 CAD for 1 oz
Revlon is $34 cheaper!

packaging:
Here is where UD excels! UD comes in a nice pump bottle, while Revlon is housed in a glass bottle with a twist off cap.

formula:
I don't have exact ingredients to compare but both include antioxidants to help skin. They also both contain a lot of silicones, but I did notice Revlon's version uses less than UD.

Coverage:
Both have similar coverage power, ranging from light to medium.

application:
I felt that Revlon was easier to blend than UD. UD went on a bit patchy, and you're supposed to use an expensive brush with it that is just a waste of money in my opinion, although others say it's amazing. Revlon was a dream to put on and it layered well.

finish:
Revlon actually feels light on, while UD felt heavy. They both have a nice skin-like finish. I found UD to badly sink into pores/lines after an hour or so, Revlon barely did that, and when it did, it was hardly noticeable.

wear time:
UD wore well for about 6 hours. Revlon wore for about 8 before starting to fade.

Overall, I wasn't impressed with UD naked skin, but I really liked Revlon nearly naked. It looked more natural and felt a lot lighter than UD. It covered nicely and it blended easily. It didn't settle into pores the way UD did.
The color match was good for both brands, and they have a wide selection for most skin tones. I would recommend Revlon nearly naked to everyone!

I personally like Revlon colorstay foundation better than nearly naked for it's lasting power. I will probably stick with that but nearly naked was a nice surprise for a cheap price!

Repurchase? No (I like colorstay better)

Price: $10.97 CAD

Rating: 4.5/5

My 12 favorite beauty products of 2012

Happy 2013 everyone!
Shockingly, I have found a bunch of HG or 'holy grail' products this year! It makes me happy to find amazing things that suit me, but at the same time it takes the fun away from hunting for something new.

Everything in this post are products I use daily or a few times per week.
You might recognize some of these items from my summer favorites post.
Sorry, I didn't take individual pictures of everything, I wanted to get this posted before 2014 ;) So; here are my top 12 beauty buys from 2012.

 

12. Clinique take the day off cleansing balm  $34 CAD

This was a recent discovery and I am so impressed with it. I've wasted so much money trying to find a 'gentle' cleanser that completely removes makeup.  I can't use foaming cleansers or wipes anymore, they make my face red and irritated. This balm easily takes off every single trace of makeup, even waterproof mascara - and it rinses off completely. No oily residue at all! I love this stuff so much.

11. Essence volumizing lash powder $3.99 CAD

I was skeptical, but this stuff works so well. I found that using wet mascara with it is best. Covergirl lash blast (orange tube) worked magically with it. It gave me fake looking lashes. The fibers won't irritate sensitive eyes, just be careful when applying and you will get amazing lashes.

10. ELF liquid eyeliner $1.50 CAD

I grabbed this back in the summer when I ran out of MAC penultimate liner (which dried out within 3 months of use :( And I don't think I will look back. I can get a thin dark line in one swipe, and it stays put all day. So cheap too!

9. Maybelline color tattoo cream shadow bad to the bronze $8.99 CAD

I use this all the time. It's one of my go-to shadows because it is so quick and easy to get a gorgeous taupe shimmery eye. Just apply to lids, add a few coats of mascara and then put on some more for a little more color intensity.

8. Wet n Wild color icon palette vanity $6.99 CAD

I think this is what I would consider my HG eyeshadow palette. I recently purchased a back up. It's so pigmented and gorgeous. The colors blend like a dream. I was using MAC blanc type as an all over base shadow before, but when I started using the matte beige in this quad I realized that it was even better than MAC! I will never be without this palette.

7. NARS larger than life lipgloss Tiber $30 CAD

I love NARS larger than life glosses. I think they are the best out there. They are shiny, long lasting and hydrating. No stickiness at all. Tiber is my favorite color, a nice neutral beige. I am going to buy more.

6. MAC lipstick blankety $18 CAD

This is my HG lipstick. It is the perfect mix of pink and beige and I can wear it with anything. It tones down the redness in my lips but it doesn't make me look like a corpse.

5. MAC paint pot constructivist $20 CAD

I love this as an all over lid color or as a liner. It's a nice rich brown with reddish pearl. It makes my green eyes pop. Genius color. Another item I will never be without.

4.  MAC eyebrow pencil lingering $18 CAD

This has become my HG brow product. I have tried lots. This is IT. The color is perfect, it looks totally natural, it defines and helps shape and fill in brows where needed. Most importantly, it stays on all day and it keeps brows in place. I couldn't ask for more. I have heard that maybelline has a dupe of this product so I will be checking that out too.

3. MAC mineralize skin finish light year (limited edition)  $34 CAD

I'm sorry I had to put an LE product in here, but this has become my everyday blush. I mix all the colors together and it gives me a luminous pink/beige/peach glow that I haven't got from anything else. It's exactly what I want in a blush. A little glow without looking overdone. All pale girls need this in their stash!

2. MAC play it proper beauty powder $34 CAD

This is my HG highlight product. It is a light pearly pink and it gives my cheekbones an amazing glow. I've hit pan and already have a backup because I use it pretty well every day. 

I highly recommend light pink highlighters for pale skin, I think they are the most flattering.

1. Make up forever face and body foundation $44 CAD

My number one favorite? MUFE face and body foundation. I love it. I haven't found any other foundation that gives such a youthful look to skin as this. It's dewy but it is so light feeling, and it lasts all day. I tried shade #20 and it was very dark on me, I ended up going for #38 porcelain ivory and it is a pretty decent match. It's expensive, and hard to get here but I will keep using it until I find something similar.

I hope you liked my top 12! What were your favorites of 2012? There were so many great things this year it was hard to pick!

Urban Decay naked skin foundation review

I recently tried Urban Decay naked skin 'weightless ultra definition liquid makeup'. I read a lot of reviews before buying it, and it seemed that most either absolutely loved it or hated it.

The packaging is very basic and plain like the Urban Decay naked palettes.
I liked the pump dispenser.

I chose the color 1.0 since it seemed to be the closet match to my skin at the moment. It is right on with MAC NC15 in comparison.

UD naked foundation 1.0 swatch on my hand:

blended in:

As you can see from the hand swatches it looks very skin-like once blended and set. I liked the finish. Not matte and not dewy, more satin yet still felt lightweight.

Here are comparison pics with the foundation on my face:

(Left = no foundation Right = wearing naked skin)

The coverage was medium, it went on light but I built up a second layer easily. It covered everything that I needed covered, redness and scars disappeared.
The main thing I was looking forward to was that it claimed to be 'weightless' and feel like you aren't wearing anything. Well, I sure felt it on my skin and it felt like any other foundaiton loaded with silicones.
It wasn't 'heavy' but it sure wasn't weightless.

An hour or so after initial application I noticed that it started to look cakey and settle into my fine lines and pores. I felt that it exaggerated the dry areas of my face, because it just sort of moved into every nook and cranny it could, leaving me with an uneven complexion. I was pretty disappointed.

It lasted about 6 hours on my skin and then I started to see most of my skin and the redness come through again. It likely would have been longer lasting with a primer, I only used moisturizer under it.
The dealbreaker for me was my face was irritated and bumpy the day after using it. I tried it again to be sure and I got a weird tingly feeling all over my face. I had the exact same thing happen when I tried urban decay skin brightening primer potion! It has a few of the same ingredients and I think the litchi extract is to blame.
 Sadly, naked skin did not work out for me, but I can see why a lot of people would love it.

I've included the ingredients list here:

pros:

- finish looks just like skin
- excellent shade selection
- contains peptides and antioxidants
- easy to blend

cons:

- filled with silicones that can dry out skin and clog it
- not very long lasting
- exaggerates dry skin
- settles into pores/lines soon after applying

I think those with normal to oily skin would find they like this foundation. I'd recommend using a primer for best results.
It's not a bad foundation but I've used way better ones. I was disappointed at how heavy it feels considering they are marketing it as 'weightless'. I think it's somewhat hyped up like most Urban Decay products.

Repurchase? No

Price: $45 CAD

Rating: 3/5

Kat Von D lock-it tattoo foundation review

So lately I've been experimenting with all sorts of different foundations, and after hearing KVD had a new foundation out I practically ran to Sephora to try it.
I love the way Kat's face always looks very smooth and well, perfectly covered:


Dare I say that this foundation actually makes my skin look almost as amazing as Kat's? Well, I'll let you be the judge when you see my before and after pics.

The shade I chose was the second lightest, light 44 'For fair skin with beige undertones'. It's about an NC15 in MAC..maybe more neutral (MAC runs very yellow).
Just an FYI, the lightest shade of lock-it 'light 42' is very very light. It will be an excellent match for those with very fair skin who have a hard time finding a shade light enough.

KVD tattoo foundation shade Light 44:

The packaging is amazing, very pretty like all KVD's line. I love that it comes in a tube, with a pump dispenser.

side view (pump):

What it says on the back of the box:

swatched on my hand:

Blended into my hand:

Coverage is just amazing. Well, you will see just how great it is in the before and after pics:

Before :(nothing on skin, just moisturizer)

After: (with lock-it foundation)

Pretty amazing huh? My skin is suffering some redness and a few breakouts lately, and with this stuff on it looks absolutely perfect. LOVE it.
The finish is matte, but it isn't flat like some mattifying foundations. It maintains a skin like glow on your face and actually doesn't look too heavy or cakey.

Wear time was pretty good, after about 12 hours I got a bit of patchiness where my skin was getting a bit dry.
This would not hold out for 24 hours as claimed, but why would you need a foundation to last that long anyways?

Overall this is what I think of it:

Pros:

- great color selection
- beautiful packaging
- long lasting
- superior coverage
- controls oil

Cons:

- smells sort of nasty..can't really compare to anything but I don't like it
- can make your skin feel dry
- doesn't live up to the 24 hr claim
- expensive

I need to mention that I have recently used Make up forever's matte + velvet foundation and it is very similar to this. The coverage is not quite as good, but it doesn't dry out my skin like lock-it does.
The only one that comes close to lock-it in terms of coverage is Estee Lauder maximum coverage camouflage. Will do a review on that one at some point too.


I think that if you are looking for a true full coverage foundation you need to try this.

Repurchase? No. I found it to be too drying for my skin.

Price: $41 CAD

Rating: 4/5

MAC foundation reviews, photos and swatches

I have recently been trying some new MAC foundations and I have tried some others in the past. I figure I may as well review them all in one big post.

The foundations I will review are studio fix fluid, studio fix powder plus foundation, studio sculpt, pro longwear, mineralize satinfinish and mineralize foundation (compact).

My skin type: very dry, sensitive, acne prone. My skin coloring in MAC: NC10 - if they still made it. NC15 works for me most times but can be a bit too yellow.

Here are some foundation swatches all are still wet and freshly applied.
Left to right: studio fix fluid NC15, studio fix fluid NW15, mineralized foundation NC15, pro longwear NC15, mineralize satinfinish NC15


Here are the same swatches after they dried on my skin. You can see that some have oxidized and become slightly darker.
Left to right studio fix fluid NC15, studio fix fluid NW15, mineralized foundation NC15, pro longwear NC15, mineralize satinfinish NC15

For reference this is my face without any makeup on. I was and still am battling acne flare ups on my chin, due to pregnancy.

The Reviews :

- Studio fix fluid Spf 15 -

coverage: medium to full
finish: natural matte
wear: all day, stays on very well
packaging: Screw top bottle
pros: Studio fix is one of my favorite foundations. It provides excellent coverage especially on break outs and conceals redness. It stays put and doesn't rub off until I take it off. Includes broad spectrum sun protection from UVA and UVB rays.
cons: Can clog pores, must be removed thoroughly. Can look cakey if too much is applied, almost mask like. Foundation pump is sold separately for some reason, this bothers me.
Overall: Best for oily/combination skin that needs coverage. It can be a little drying. Be careful if you are acne prone because this foundation can cause breakouts.
Repurchase? yes
price: $32 CAD
rating: 4.5/5

Wearing Studio fix fluid in NW15 (NC15 matches me way better!) :

- pro longwear spf 10 -

coverage: medium to full
finish: natural satin-like
wear: all day, stays on very well
packaging: pump bottle
pros: Natural looking flawless finish with great coverage. It's very fluid like but can be built up easily. photographs very well. Wears well, lasts all day.
cons: I found this oxidizes slightly, as most long wearing foundations do. The color turned a tad orange, but nothing too extreme. SPF is very low, not sure if it would protect skin or not. Too drying for dry skin.
Overall: Best for normal/oily/combination skin that needs long wearing coverage.
Repurchase? yes
price: $36.50 CAD
rating: 4.5/5

Wearing pro longwear foundation NC15:

- Mineralize foundation Spf 15 (compact) -

coverage: light/medium
finish: natural satiny
wear: 6-8 hours
packaging: compact
pros: Great for drier skin because it is slightly moisturizing. Sets to a nice smooth finish that looks very natural. You can build coverage to hide minor imperfections and redness. Includes sun protection with spf 15. Compact is great to carry around for touch ups.
cons: Quite expensive. Needs to be set with a powder if you want it to last all day. It wears off easily. Won't cover major skin problems, additional concealer is most likely needed.
Overall: Best for dry/normal/combination skin that doesn't need a lot of coverage.
Repurchase? yes
price: $40 CAD
rating: 4/5

Wearing mineralize foundation NC15 (layered heavily) :

- mineralize satinfinish spf 15 -

coverage: sheer/light
finish: dewy
wear: 4-6 hours
packaging: pump bottle
pros: This is a very light weight foundation. It has mica in it that casts a nice glow onto the skin. Includes several antioxidants in the formula as well as Spf 15. Great for aging skin. This is also a great foundation to mix with others for more glow.
cons: Lasting power is horrible. Must be set with powder. Does not cover blemishes or redness completely, additional concealer is likely required unless you are lucky enough to have perfect skin. Can look streaky, but better when set with powder.
Overall: Best for dry/normal skin that needs little to no coverage. Adds luminescence to dull and aging skin. Note the coloring in this particular foundation runs light. NC15 is more like NC10, it matches my skin perfectly.
Repurchase? yes
price: $36.50 CAD
rating: 3.5/5

Wearing mineralize satinfinish NC15 (layered 2-3 times) :

- Studio Sculpt SPF 15 -

coverage: medium to full
finish: satin
wear: approx 8 hours
packaging: squeeze tube
pros: After layering and blending you can achieve perfect looking skin that still maintains a natural finish. Includes spf 15.
cons: Hard to blend in without streaking. Heavy in silicone that can clog pores. Can accentuate any dryness and flakes on skin.
Overall: Best for normal/oily/combination skin. I wouldn't recommend this if you are in a rush because you need time to blend it in well so it doesn't streak. This stuff clogged my pores really bad and I had to return it.
Repurchase? no
price: $36.50 CAD
rating: 3/5

- Studio fix powder plus foundation -

coverage: medium to full
finish: satin matte
wear: all day, stays on very well
packaging: compact
pros: Amazing coverage. This powder is capable of giving you doll-like velvet skin. It covers everything and stays on all day until you take it off. It's so easy to use, a few swipes and your out the door. Does not oxidize.
cons: Can look a bit cakey especially on dry skin. No sun protection.
Overall: Best for normal/oily/combination skin that needs lots of coverage. Be careful if you are acne prone, this is another foundation that causes breakouts in some people.
I broke out horribly every time I used this so I had to return it. It is an excellent foundation though.
Repurchase? no
price: $32 CAD
rating: 4.5/5


My top pick:

After trying all these MAC foundations I've found my own perfect foundation 'elixir'. I mix 1 part mineralize satinfinish with two parts studio fix fluid (both in NC15) and it's the best for my dry sensitive skin. The studio fix gives good coverage while the satinfinish adds a nice healthy glow.

I hope this has been helpful to some. Always remember that before buying you can ask for a sample of foundation at the MAC counter.

Have you had any luck with MAC foundations?
I'm very interested in trying out face and body foundation, if you've tried it let me know what you think!

Estee Lauder double wear light foundation review

One foundation I tried during the summer was Estee Lauder double wear light.
I wanted something that would last all day and still look natural.
Unfortunately, even with a light summer tan I could not get a color match in this foundation.
I ended up with intensity 1.0, and it's much too orange for me.

Swatch of intensity 1.0 :

blended into my skin :

It is disappointing that Estee Lauder doesn't make lighter more neutral shades in this foundation.
The only way I can get this to work is if I use a lighter powder on top.

The coverage is good, and the finish is really nice and natural looking. It's satiny and looks a little bit dewy.
It lasts about 8 hours without any fading or shifting on me. Keep in mind this is humid summer weather, and I sweat a lot at my job.

Wearing double wear light after 8 hours:

You can see after 8 hours my skin still looks fresh, but the foundation has slightly started to wear off from my cheeks and nose area. This is most likely from me blowing my nose a lot from allergies.
I didn't have any irritation or break outs from this foundation.

I like double wear light, but I would rather stick with my Revlon colorstay for 1/2 the price. It works just as well for me, and I can actually get a proper color match! You can see my colorstay review here.

repurchase? no

rating: 3.5/5

price: $40 CAD

Missha M perfect cover BB cream review

Missha was the very first BB cream I ever tried. It is probably the most popular brand of BB creams in the beauty world.

BB or blemish balms are super popular all over Asia. They originated in Germany as a tinted healing cream for patients who underwent skin treatments and needed something to help protect, heal and soothe the skin. Japan picked up on theses ingredients and are now pumping out all different kinds of BB creams.


Here is Missha's description of the M perfect BB cream:

' The M Perfect Cover BB Cream gives an even and natural-looking coverage with the soothing, moisturising properties of a cream. It is suitable for all skin types including acne-prone skin, and can be used as a makeup base or foundation. '
source: http://www.misshaus.com

Ingredients list:
Water(Aqua), Cyclomethicone, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Zinc Oxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mineral Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, Talc, Arbutin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Dimethicone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Adenosine, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Polyethylene, Beeswax(Cera Alba), Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Caviar Extract, Algae Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Ceramide 3, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance(Parfum), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Citronellol
MAY CONTAIN[+/-; Titanium Dioxide(CI 77891), Iron Oxides(CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)]

This ingredients list tells me that there are some excellent antioxidant ingredients in the Missha BB cream.
It is very emmolient and moisturizing to the skin. It is comparable to a very creamy thick tinted moisturizer.

I used this product for 3 days straight and although I liked it I had to stop using it.
Upon first application, I realized that the color was two shades too dark for my pale skin. It also seemed slightly ashy toned.
I really liked the way it made my skin glow with moisture and radiance.
I tried applying it again, this time with a lighter powder over top and it helped to lighten the color a bit.
By the third day of using this my skin became slightly sensitized and I developed tiny red spots around my t zone (an indication of inflamed/irritated skin).
I believe that the algae extract is the culprit, because I seem to have a reaction to anything that has algae in it.

swatch of M perfect # 21 light beige:

Swatch on my arm - bottom half of the line is 21 blended, top is my natural skin. you can see the coverage is pretty good, my veins aren't as noticeable:

I would normally post pictures of how this looked on my face but I don't want to use it again due to my allergic reaction.
One other thing I noticed about this was that it seemed to make my skin darker. I mean after using it for 3 days it seemed like I had applied a self tanner. This effect lasted about 2 weeks. I didn't particularly like it.
I've read that this is because the pigments 'stain' the skin, but for something that is claimed to 'lighten' my skin it just doesn't seem right. It's a mystery to me.
I will tell you right now that this won't lighten your skin one bit!

Overall, I would recommend this to those with normal, dry or very dry skin who want light to moderate coverage and skin conditioning ingredients.
Since the finish is quite dewy and it does contain oil, this wouldn't be the best choice for oily skin types.
I would also be careful if you have sensitive skin because there are a few possible skin irritants in the ingredients list.

The great thing about Missha BB cream is that there are several color options, so that pale and deeper skin tones can wear it. Most BB's only come in one shade, usually quite pale or medium.
If you are curious about BB creams Missha has a good reputation, but there are many different brands available.

repurchase? No, I had an allergic reaction and found that it darkened my skin.

rating: 3/5

price: $20-$30 USD

Trash review: Revlon colorstay foundation

The latest product I've completely used up is Revlon colorstay foundation for normal/dry skin.
I've had a few issues with my skin in recent months and this foundation has saved me!

A few months ago I had a major breakout from trying a new alpha hydoxy acid lotion, leaving behind horrible scarring on my chin.
I also started a new job where I am doing a lot of physical work and sweating a lot. On top of that it's become very humid here and my skin is now slightly oily yet still dry...very finicky.

So I need a foundation that :
1. will stay on through sweating/blotting/in melting humid hot weather
2. will not clog my pores
3. will cover up redness, scars and pimples
4. will not irritate my sensitive skin
5. will most importantly, match my pale skin!

I usually use L'oreal true match foundation shade N1, (I love this) but it just doesn't stay put all day through heavy sweating and hot weather.

Colorstay has provided my skin with excellent staying power, great coverage and best of all, no break outs! Actually, the best thing is that it doesn't irritate my skin one bit.

Ivory 110 is a perfect match for my skin! It's very neutral, not too pink or yellow. It blends in with my skin quite well.

swatch of colorstay ivory:

blended in:

I love the finish of this foundation. Very natural and skin-like. When I put it on it doesn't look like I'm wearing anything, just great even-toned healthy skin.
This lasts all day until I take it off. It performs like a high-end foundation should.


There are a couple of down sides to colorstay, but I've worked them out!

First, it can be tricky to blend. I apply a thin layer all over my face with my fingers and a second layer patted over the contours of the eye and any spots or blemishes.
One layer won't cover everything. It can look a bit streaky if you don't take the time blend it well, so I take my fluffy face brush and dust over it with some powder to set it and smooth everything out.

Second, it can be difficult to remove. I had a really hard time at first finding a way to remove it at night without stripping off my skin!
I tried using oil to soften it and then used another cleanser to take it all off but I found I was breaking out from the oils. I found an excellent cleanser that is gentle yet effective, clean and clear makeup dissolving foaming cleanser - it is amazing and it takes this off so easily! I will be reviewing that cleanser in the near future.

Overall, I really like this foundation and have already repurchased.
I've tried so many foundations so it's great to finally find one that really works for me.
I should mention a while ago a tried colorstay in ivory for oily/combination skin and it was just a disaster on me. The color oxidized into an orange/pink after applying and it started to break me out. Obviously this was the wrong choice for my skin type.

One of the great things about this is that it isn't too expensive. One bottle lasts about 3 months which is average for me and liquid foundations. It's readily available and often goes on sale.
I say give it a try if you are looking for a long-wearing comfortable foundation.

repurchase? yes...again and again!

rating: 5/5

price: $16 CAD

MAC truth and light magically cool liquid powder review

I got the original release of truth and light magically cool liquid powder from MAC's venomous villains collection back in October. I figured I'd wait and do a review when the product became part of MAC's permanent line, which it now is! There are other colors available as well, including:

• honey rose (Sheer rosy beige with multidimensional shimmer)
  
• cajun (Sheer bronze shimmer with reflects gold)
  

Truth and light is described as 'Sheer shimmer with reflects of silver and pink'. I personally don't see much reflects silver or pink, it seems it's so translucent that it goes on pretty clear with very slight gold shimmer. That is just the way it looks on me.

Swatches of truth and light (layered heavily to capture the color) :

The powder itself is interesting, it's extremely sheer and light. It feels wet when first applied, then dries onto your skin leaving a nice 'soft focus' effect that diffuses light.

I will start by telling you I have very dry skin. This powder feels great when I first apply it, but after it sets my skin feels a lot drier than before I used it.
I realized that the water content in this powder evaporates off your skin after the product sets, and it takes the moisture right out of your skin.
I don't like it because it made my skin feel uncomfortably dry after a couple uses. It did, however, keep my makeup looking fresh all day. This would be most useful for those with normal to oily skin.

To give you an example of how this powder looks, here is a comparison photo of me without foundation, and one beside it with only truth and light powder on:

I just realized the photos are labeled wrong. oops.

On the left my skin is slightly shiny from moisturizer, and on the right the powder itself covered a little bit of redness and added a very nice even toned finish to my skin. It did not cover my acne scars on my chin. It's quite sheer.

Now, here is a comparison of how the powder looks over foundation. On the left I'm wearing L'oreal true match foundation only. On the right, I added truth and light over top. Both photos were taken in the exact same lighting. AGAIN the photos are labeled wrong. sorry!

You can see how this powder really sets the foundation, and adds a very matte finish. It's matte but very soft looking, and really does blur any imperfections or lines. If you notice, you can see it took the 'shine' from my skin, the flash did not reflect off my face in the 2nd pic at all. Well, that shine was more or less moisturizer, and the powder evaporated the moisture right out of it.

Overall, this is a great setting powder if you like the matte look. Also, if you have any fine lines this powder is great to diffuse them. I would stay away from this if you have dry skin, because your skin might start to look a little dehydrated with continued use.
I also forgot to add this does not make a good highlighter for pale skin, it barely shows up unless you really layer it on. It could be used as a highlight on medium dark skin tones, then it would show up more.

Repurchase? No, this is not right for me.

Price: $35.50 CAD

Rating: 4/5