Review: Benefit The POREfessional

For as long as I can remember, I have suffered with large, open pores on my cheeks. I've tried numerous products to either fix or disguise them, but had little success. So when I tried Benefit's offering, The POREfessional, in Boots last week, I wasn't expecting much... How wrong could I be? This product is WONDERFUL, I really can't praise it enough. It comes in a 22ml tube which doesn't sound like a lot, but you don't have to use very much at all. It's a thick, pinkish brown coloured liquid that easily blends into the skin without leaving a trace of colour. It feels very soft on the skin (similar in feel to Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, actually) and smells lovely. You pat it onto the skin, and the effects are instant; pores look visibly smaller, and appear to have disappeared in some cases (although I know they have cleverly been hidden)! I have worn it alone and under make-up, and I have been pore-free for the whole day. Another plus point is that it didn't affect the way that my make up applied - some products can make it difficult to apply foundation due to drying out the skin, but nothing like that happens with this product at all. The leaflet inside the box says that you can top up through the day if necessary, by patting the product over the top of your make up, much like you would do with a blotting sheet. 

The tube costs £23.50 and can be bought from www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Make-up Review: Topshop Skin Tint

Like many others, I was very excited when Topshop released their much-anticipated make-up range earlier in the year. Unfortunately, none of my local branches stock it (they are tiny) and I don't like ordering make-up online if I haven't tried it before so I had to wait a while before I could try any of it. I bought a few products when I visited Bath a couple of months ago, and a couple more in Glasgow at the end of July and have been impressed with the quality - I'm a MAC girl normally, so it's nice to find products on a similar level (in my opinion) but which aren't quite as expensive.


The first product I'd like to review is the Skin Tint, which I bought after reading many good reviews online. I alternate between using foundation (MAC Studio Tech) and tinted moisturiser (Benefit You Rebel Lite) and thought this would be a good compromise! I have fairly pale skin (MAC NW15/20) and ended up buying the palest shade, called "fair". I really liked the look of the product, and was impressed by the price (£10). 

Picture courtesy of www.topshop.com

Good points; 
* the packaging is lovely
* lovely consistency
* blends well
* long-lasting
* good value for money.


Bad points; 
* not a great colour match owing to the fact that there are only four shades (whilst I am pale, I am certainly not the palest person I know, so there's no option for very pale people, and there are also no options for black skin and I'm not sure if the available colours would work on Asian skin)
* leaves a sheen on the skin which I don't like and end up covering with mattifying powder.


So, although I don't hate the product, I don't think I'll be buying it again. If the colour match was perfect, I'd reconsider though as it's good for days when I don't want the full coverage of a foundation.


3/5.

Skincare Review: Trilogy Vital Moisturising Cream

I must admit that until I purchased a subscription to InStyle magazine and received a free gift containing their products, I had never heard of Trilogy. However, I have been using their moisturiser (and cleanser, review to follow) since July and have been really impressed with it, so much so that I am considering purchasing more of their skincare items. 


The moisturiser I received was the Vital Moisturising Cream, which came in a really nice glass pot that looks lovely on the bathroom shelf. 

Picture courtesy of www.trilogyproducts.com

The Trilogy website says this about the product;


"Our most popular daily moisturiser provides pure and immediate nourishment and hydration for all skin types.

Perfect for most skin types this ultra-nourishing cream deeply hydrates and protects skin. Made from a blend of 12 of nature's most beneficial botanical actives including Rosehip, Evening Primrose and Orange Flower, this lightweight and fast-absorbing cream assists healthy skin renewal and helps minimise signs of ageing."

Sounds great, yes? When I read the list of ingredients, I expected the product to have a lovely smell, but it is actually almost fragrance-free - not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting. The cream is quite thick, but sinks in incredibly quickly and doesn't leave my skin greasy - no mean feat as I have very oily (and sensitive, lucky me) skin. Immediately after application, my skin feels smoother and looks slightly brighter. I've had no breakouts since using it, which is excellent as moisturisers tend to give me spots or soreness. My only complaint is that when I wear it, my make-up doesn't seem to last as long as it does on days when I don't wear it. For this reason, I have been using this cream at night only.

It can be purchased from http://www.trilogyproducts.com/ and costs £24 for a 60g jar (which lasts a long time).

I'd give this product a 4/5 and, as I said before, I'll be looking into other products in the Trilogy range in the next couple of months.