The Perfect Summer Blush: Benefit GALifornia

Benefit's boxed blushes are pretty much cult products and I was very excited to try my second one - GALifornia, the newest blush in the lineup. I bought it back in February and have applied it almost every day since I started using it (for a while I couldn't bring myself to use it, because it's so beautiful!)

Benefit GALifornia is a beautiful shade of peachy pink (a 'sunny golden pink' as Benefit call it) which really flatters and brightens up my pale skin, and I think it would look gorgeous on a a wide range of skintones. It's bright without being unwearable and is really easy to apply and blend. It's also just the right amount of pigmented, allowing you to easily control how much you want it to show up on your face.

The packaging is also bright and eye-catching, with 'artwork inspired by vintage California surfer girls', while the actual product is beautifully presented in an Aztec sun design, alongside a gold overspray which fades after a few uses (which is great if you're worried about the product being too shimmery). Benefit has been criticised for always using cardboard packaging, and while it does make it more vulnerable to damage, I personally find the packaging sturdy enough. Included within the box is a built-in mirror and a small, soft brush. Again, most people aren't a fan of these brushes but I actually think it's quite decent, especially for travel (and if you've misplaced/been too lazy to wash your normal blush brush).

Something else I love about this blush is the smell - Benefit describe it as having 'notes of pink grapefruit & vanilla' but to me it smells quite tropical. Either way, it smells amazing, and is another factor that makes a joy to use.

Benefit GALifornia swatched

I'd also say that GALifornia has good staying power, lasting probably up to eight hours on my skin (so I'd probably need to top it up after a full day at work).

Any downsides?
I think it's quite cheeky of Benefit to shrink the size of their blushes but the keep the price the same* - and at £24.50, it's not exactly cheap. GALifornia is the same price as Benefit's CORALista blush, but you get 3g less product, so that's not great. However, while this blush is expensive, I've already got a lot of use out of it (and it's not showing the slightest dent, as far as I can tell). I think this will be a staple in my makeup bag and I could potentially see myself using it all up. If this happens, I'll definitely feel like I got my money's worth!

To sum up, this is an absolutely stunning blush, especially for summer, so if you feel like treating yourself to a new blush, I'd highly recommend getting this. It looks beautiful and brightening on the skin, lasts well, applies well and smells great. I'm going to be wearing it on my cheeks all summer, and beyond.

Benefit Galifornia is available at FeelUnique, normally £24.50 (but look out for occasional offers to get it cheaper!)

Have you tried this blush? What do you think of Benefit's boxed blushes?

 *It's happening with chocolate too :'( 

My Number One Foundation?

Sorry for the clickbaity title, although it may not be too far from the truth!*

Although I haven't tried that many foundations, out of every single one I have tried I think I've found my favourite, and one that I'm happy to keep using until I feel like trying something new. It trumps even Bourjois' Healthy Mix Foundation and 123 Perfect Colour Correcting cream (reviewed here), as well as YSL's Touche Eclat Foundation (all three of these I still really like and would use). I've also recently repurchased it - something I never usually do with foundations.

Revlon's ColorStay Foundation is one that I'd heard great things about for years from various YouTubers and bloggers, but decided to put to the back of mind to try sometime. I ended up deciding to buy it in December last year, as my No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation (reviewed here) was running out and I needed a new foundation to suit my oily skin (as the aforementioned Bourjois and YSL ones are very good, but don't give me enough coverage or oil control when my skin is breaking out). I think it was also on offer at the time for £3 less than the usual £12.99 in Superdrug, which was a nice extra. 

Something I really like about this foundation is that it comes in two different forms depending on your skin type - normal to dry and combination to oily. When I was swatching the foundation in store back in December, I was trying to decide between the palest shade (which is what I usually am) and the second-palest. The swatch for the lightest shade, Ivory, came up very light - so I took a slight risk and got the next one, Buff. It's perfect for my skintone and it's great to see a foundation offer a good range of shades (13 in all) including one for truly porcelain skin.

But what I find unbeatable about Revlon ColorStay Foundation, compared to other foundations I've tried, is its staying power. Once it's on, it stays put all day - even though:

1. I might be sweating profusely due to a heatwave (sorry, TMI)

2. I have a bad habit of touching my face during the day (especially at work)

3. I rarely use primer or setting powder.

Of course, it does wear off a bit due to these things, as would any foundation, but it still stands to reason that with most foundations, there would be little to no product left on my face at the end of a long, hot day, whereas with this one, it lasts extremely well.

Shade 150 (Buff) swatched

It's also worth noting that it's not a good idea to apply several blobs of this foundation on your face and then blend in - it sets very quickly, so it's better to do a section at a time. Also, it has SPF 15, which means it's ideal for daytime wear - but not so much for nights out if flash photography is involved.

Aside from its great shade match, finish and staying power, this foundation honestly makes me feel a lot better about my face on those really bad skin days. It gives me fantastic coverage and a natural, 'velvet-matte finish' (as Revlon describe). Its packaging isn't anything too fancy, but has a pump dispenser and allows me to see how much product I have left, which I like.

Are there any negatives? Well, I do think it is a bit pricey for a drugstore foundation, at £12.99. However for me it's worth every penny because I'm extremely happy with it overall. I also think that every now and then if I have a dry area on my face (which isn't often) it can look a little bit cakey in that area. So obviously it's a good idea to stick to the normal/dry version if you get dry patches. It also has a relatively strong foundation-y smell, although this doesn't put me off using it at all.

Final thoughts - if you're looking for a new foundation for oily/combination skin that lasts all day, gives you great coverage and looks natural, I'd really recommend Revlon ColorStay. If the £12.99 price tag is a bit steep for you, there are plenty of offers to look out for at Boots/Superdrug throughout the year - for example 3 for 2 offers or a £3 off offer. 

Have you tried this foundation? What's your number one foundation right now? 

*I didn't want to say 'Holy Grail' because idk, it seems a bit cheesy haha