As many of us have, I have been on the hunt for a new foundation lately. One that can make my skin flawless and smooth, without looking cake like and gross. Something that is natural but build able, hiding all of the horrible reds that accompany blemished and the deep purples under my eyes. I am very fussy with my foundations and I think I ask too much of them. I have previously loved many department store and pharmacy brands my favourites being Chanel lumiere aqua, Chanel 'Le Beige Healthy Glow Fluid', Nars 'Sheer Glow' and Bourjois 'Healthy Glow Mix', however on a day to day basis my skin doesn't need to be lathered in foundations, I don't have the time to paint on my perfect completion either. So this time, as I admired all that Mecca Maxima has to offer, I discovered the Stila 'One Step' primer.
The Stila 'One Step' is a primer with three different colours that combat uneven pigments in the skin. Naturally my skin has a yellow undertone but I get a lot of redness on my chin and sometimes deep purple discolouration around my eyes. The green tones in particular are fantastic at cancelling out the redness in the skin, while the purple and pink/orange tones brighten the completion, concealing the darker spots and general pigmentation that you may have from old acne scars, sun exposure or other skin traumas. An even amount of each colour is dispensed in each pump which is useful to evenly cover all the the little areas of redness or pigmentation all over the face, as opposed to spot treating one specific area. If you do have a particularly problematic section then you can gently pat on more and build up the coverage.
One thing to keep in mind when using this product is that it needs some time to warm up on your skin. After applying it leave it to sit on your skin before applying anything else. It works best when applied to well moisturised skin. If you do build it up for better coverage, I highly recommend very gently using a stippling brush (such as this one by Samantha Chapman) to apply your foundation or BB cream, as if you the serum tends to be disturbed with friction making it appear like rubber shavings. To avoid this simplify use a soft brush (as afore mentioned) to gently dab the makeup over the top, achieving a naturally flawless appearance.
Before. Applying the product. After blending and building.
Still One Step $52, available at Mecca Maxima
Stippling brush, Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman $25:
(Available at: https://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/cosmetic-accessories/cosmetic-brushes-and-9applicators/your-finish-perfected-stippling-brush-1-ea)
Keihl's BB Cream $38:
(http://www.kiehls.com.au/skincare/by-category/dermatologist-solutions/actively-correcting-beautifying-bb-cream)