The Review | e.l.f Flawless Finish Foundation and HD Mattifying Cream Foundation(*)

e.l.f Flawless Finish Foundation(*) and Mattifying Cream Foundation(*)

as you will all know from my previous post on foundations for pale skin, i really struggle to find foundations to match my skintone, so when i was given the chance to try out the Flawless Finish Foundation(*) and HD Mattifying Cream Foundation(*) from e.l.f, i jumped at the chance. 

on first impressions from having a nosy on the website, i had initial high hopes when it came to colour-matching and i think this had something to do with both products coming in the shade 'porcelain' which is usually a winner shade-wise when it comes to my pasty skin. unfortunately as you'll see from the swatches, both these products are far too dark and yellow-based for my skin, but alas, all is not lost. i've whipped the fake tan back out this month in anticipation of Spring, and now these products are perfect (please let's not dwell on the fact that i have to fake tan in order for even the palest foundation shades to match my skintone). i actually only had one foundation in my collection which was the right shade for my tanned self and it's super light coverage, so i'm happy to add two more products to the tanned skin stash.

i'll start off with the Flawless Finish Foundation, easily my favourite of the two. super creamy, blends like a dream and is easily buildable from medium to high coverage. this is one of the few foundations i've actually used where i haven't felt quite so much need for a concealer, too, and would happily wear just this on my skin when the warmer weather kicks in. it also lasts really well on the skin without going flaky and cakey, plus it doesn't cling onto those pesky dry patches, either. it just makes for an all round even base. i also think the packaging is super sleek, there's just something about the frosted glass and square bottle that really pleases me. this is definitely more of a yellow toned base than pink, so bare that in mind if you're to order for yourself. i couldn't fault this product and for just £7.50 it's absolutely a contender in battling with the drugstore brands.

next is the HD Mattifying Cream Foundation, also in Porcelain, and i was a little dubious about this as i've never used a cream formula foundation in a pan before. i don't know why, but there's always just been something about swiping a sponge across the pan that doesn't sit well with me, i'm much happier with a brush and liquid foundation. that in mind, i did give this a whirl and was pleasantly surprised. this is definitely much more matter than the Flawless Finish Foundation, which you would expect given its name, and makes its counterpart look a lot more dewy and glowy. again, it's easily buildable from medium to high coverage and i was surprised at how blendable it was. it also didn't cling to dry patches and left an even base for the rest of my make-up and lasted just as long as the other foundation. unfortunately i'm just not a huge fan of more of a matte foundation look, but i will be keeping this as a reserve for days when i really need my makeup to stick around for a little longer than usual. this is a little pricier at £7.95, and i'll be honest in saying that i have no idea how this compares to drugstore alternatives, but if a cream foundation is something that's new to you aswell, i think this is a fab product to start with. 

i think e.l.f gets overlooked as a makeup brand, but it's definitely up there in terms of quality and newness with the big drugstore brands. i'm forever finding bits on pinterest too that show e.l.f bits as dupes for some much higher end products and if any of you ladies haven't given it a go yet, i highly recommend it. i managed to pick a few bits up recently in their 50% off sale and will share them with you soon, but if you have an other product recommendations, i'd love to hear what your favourite e.l.f bits are!