Product review: Mac's Studio Fix foundation vs. Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Éclat foundation

For my first ever blog post I thought I'd do a review on my current favourite foundation, Yves Saint Laurent's Le Teint Touche Éclat foundation in Shade BR30- Beige Rose, in comparison to my ex- favourite foundation, Mac's Studio Fix- NC20. My first ever purchase of Mac's Studio Fix Foundation was a few years back, during the days when Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse was all the rage, and if you didn't own a pot then quite frankly you were an outcast in teenage society. The problem with this foundation however was that it is so thick and cakey, it didn't help that I wore a shade about 3 times darker than my actual skin tone either! Yes, looking back I can see that I did in fact look like an oompa loompa (I know, attractive look) but at the time I was completely oblivious to this. So, as you can imagine, it took immense persuasion on my friends part to get me into that Mac store, but since that day I have not looked back. Pretty ironic with the whole 'once you go Mac you never go back' expression! I was matched to the colour NC20, which suited my skin tone perfectly and meant I was no longer walking around looking like a carrot! Hallelujah. One thing I do absolutely love about Mac is their diverse range of foundation colours- there is a shade for every skin tone and a foundation for every skin type: whether you have dry, combination or oily skin.

Firstly, I love the packaging of this foundation. It comes in a luxurious glass bottle that I think looks really chic and stylish, however it's not that great to travel with because I was always scared I'd drop it and it would smash into a thousand pieces right in front of me (it happened to my sister twice... we're a clumsy family). It comes with a matte top lid, which I always found quite annoying because it captured finger prints like no other! Not good for someone with OCD in cleanliness like myself! It's also rubberised which leads to it getting even dirtier, comparable  to the Nars foundation packaging. Probably the worst thing about the packaging though is the fact that it doesn't come with a pump, and if you want one Mac expect you to dish out an extra £3.50! I thought this was a bit cheeky, but it didn't put me off buying the foundation.

I have a really weird skin type. You might call it combination but combination to the extremes. I have normal cheek areas with an extremely dry nose and oily chin and forehead. It has a medium coverage which nicely covers all blemishes and can be used sheer to even out my skin tone and also can be built up for heavy heavy coverage. However, with a full coverage comes a cakey and thick feel. Although it stayed on for an entire day, I found this thickness lead to breakouts and made my skin drier around my nose as well as accentuating  the dryness when worn also. It is waterproof and needs a good make-up remover and a lot of time in order to take it off, which can be a pain after a long tiring day out! (Especially when all you want is to curl up in bed and sleep.) The smell of this product can sometimes really put people off it because it smells exactly like paint, it's got a really strong scent which I don't feel completely goes away when applied to your face, you can without a doubt smell it when you open the bottle. I personally really dislike this smell and it bothered me a considerable amount, but if you're a bit less sensitive to smells it may not bother you as much. 

Anyway, at the time I absolutely loved this foundation. I was fixated on having the fullest coverage foundation possible and it wasn't until recently that I realised less is definitely more.

Not so long ago I discovered YSL's Le Teint Touche Éclat foundation, which is basically a follow up of their Touche Éclat pen, as it boasts the same illuminating properties with 'weightless perfection'. The formula is free of any opaque powders so it doesn't give you a cakey foundation look much like the Dream Matte Mousse or Mac's Studio Fix. It also claims to define the natural contours of the face with 'dimensional radiance'. I was matched up to the shade BR30, which is a warm but light enough shade to give me a sun-kissed glow with my paler skin tone. I am really happy with the colour the assistant matched me with as it does everything I want it to. It brightens my skin tone without making me look like I've rolled in Doritos! No more oompa loompa days for me. I also made sure to get a free 7-day sample before I made the full purchase and this definitely helped cement my decision to buy the actual bottle.

Blended in, you can instantly see the luminous and flawless coverage it gives. I find that it has a build-able consistency and it is able to cover any blemishes I get. It does an exceptional job of covering and concealing redness or uneven patches. I get quite blotchy skin without make-up but this foundation does a superb job of concealing all of that and making me look like I have a good skin base. I have had various comments saying how flawless and luminous my skin looks when I've worn this which I think is a fab compliment! My only negative is that when you first apply it, it can feel very 'wet' on the face as it's so dewy and oozes luminescence. I therefore am unsure if it would be suited to individuals with oily skin, similarly to Mac's Studio Fix. I make sure I buff it into my skin with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush for a bit longer than necessary than always- I repeat always!!

I set it with my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder to ensure it doesn't get too slimy in the day. With the powder, it stays luminous but also feels dry on the skin simultaneously. The staying power, with my powder, is sublime. It doesn't wear throughout my working day or even if I've gone out for an evening. It stays put even when I'm at the gym so that shows it has great staying power! I completely love this foundation and really do feel like it eradicates all dullness in the complexion and illuminates all of the dimensions in the face. Your skin immediately looks radiant and awakened when it's put on and that's something that I haven't been able to achieve with any other foundation so far. You can pick up this beauty for £28 from House of Fraser, Debenhams, Boots and many other retailers. I recommend you get yourself a colour match and free sample when you're next near the counter as it's 100% worth it! 

I personally believe I will never try another foundation as long as I live. YSL's Le Teint Touche Éclat is flawless perfection.

YSL's Le Teint Touche Éclat foundation- BR30