When I first laid eyes on the Cover FX display at my local Sephora my jaw dropped. Other than MAC and MUFE I had never seen such a wide selection of shades. There is a whopping 32 shades available in the cream formula and 25 in the liquid! Impressive right?

Since Cover FX was developed to cover skin imperfections like port wine stains and vitiligo, I was excited to see what it could for my hyperpigmentation.

Ummm... Please excuse the lack of lucidity in the pics... They were taken at an ungodly hour and I truly needed to beat for even attempting to take them. Oh... And pay no mind to the swoll peeper. This is what happens when you bust your face on the sink trying to keep the resident toddler from busting his own head as he attempts to dance in the shower. No before pics either... I'll give you hyperpigmentated skin or swoll a$$ eye but not both!




So what do you think? Good stuff right?

Though this is a cream foundation it's not exactly creamy. Properly moisturized skin and primer are a must in order for it to spread and blend properly. Otherwise you will end up using too much and you'll end up rocking the loathed "foundation mask". It took a little work to apply with my 187 since it isn't creamy. I did more swirling than stippling. Cover FX blended easily over my HG Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch primer. I really wanted to try the SkinPrep FX primer but it was missing from the The Big Cover Up kit I purchased. What's up with that Sephora? You have to set it with a powder. Cover FX has a tacky feel to it. It has "Dermafix" technology that allows it to stick to the skin and itself resulting in water resistant, all day coverage. Setting with a powder gets rid of the tacky feel.

Cover FX creme in B35 - $42

190. I still prefer my Essence of Beauty foundation brush over both of them. Same with the 12o concealer brush... Nothing to write home about. The kit comes with Setting The Big Cover Up kit has everything you need to make Cover FX work. It has a full sized SkinPrep FX, Setting FX powder, a how- to DVD and foundation and concealer brushes. Now that I think about... I think The Big Cover Up Kit is something you can pass by if you already have a decent primer, finishing powder and brush. The 130 foundation brush is very similar to MAC'sFX in Light. (Dark is available separately.) Another meh... It was no different than any of the other powders that I currently have in rotation.

Overall

Pros
One step coverage- no concealer needed
A little goes a long way
SPF 30
Easy to travel with
Light weight
Water resistant

Cons
Can be difficult to blend
Can go on mask-like if too much is used
Feels sticky without setting powder
$42... But it will last quite a while


Cover FX creme foundation is the closest thing to my beloved Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer. Yes! I admit it. Lol! Both offer full, light weight coverage without the need for a separate concealer. SSE is just a tad more pigmented than Cover FX. As a matter of fact I would probably recommend Cover FX before SSE because of this. SSE is so pigmented that it is very easy to put too much on. Cover FX gives more wiggle room. Not a lot more, but enough to make it more user friendly for the masses.

So what say you folks? Is Cover FX your HG? Your newest lemming? Tried it and hated it? Let me know.

B.B.

Sensual Skin Indeed!

The Sensual Skin Enhancer (SSE) by Kevyn Aucoin Beauty (KAB) is a like a mythical beast. At least for me it was... While there are some true believers out there it had never crossed my path so I was still pretty skeptical. KAB makes some pretty high falootin promises also.
Taken from the KAB site:

A multi-tasking formula for creating a gorgeous, flawless complexion.
• Mimics the appearance of healthy, radiant skin
• May be used as a spot foundation, concealer, all-over foundation and more
• Silky, hydrating formula with honey and jojoba oil
• Creates a smooth, radiant finish

With the promises like that I half expected fairy dust to fly out of the jar when it's opened.
All foundations make similar promises but there are few instances when I actually expect it to make good on them. But I'll tell ya what... For $45 bucks it had better do all this OR do the laundry and come with bacon.

I was expecting a bit more from the ingredient list though.

Ingredients: Mineral Oil, Polybutene, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Polyethylene, Quaternium-18 Hectorite, Calcium Carbonate, Dextrin Palmitate, Honey, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Beeswax, Butylene Glycol, Cholesterol, Lecithin, Talc, Triethylhexanoin, Methylparaben, Fragrance (Parfum). May Contain (+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77491).

I was surprised to see mineral oil as the first ingredient. Along with the fairy dust I was also expecting baby tears and unicorn essence. I was quite disappointed to find them both missing. I was also very worried that my skin would stage a revolt for trying this stuff.

I have been wearing it for almost a week now and I am quite smitten. It its a bit tricky to get right though. There is a fine line between a natural finish and a mask. SSE wallows without shame all over this line. It's the most pigmented foundation that I have ever got my hands on. The instructions say to "apply sparingly (a pin sized amount)". They aren't too far off. This is foundation is so versatile that it can easily go form light (just all a bit of moisturizer) to as heavy as you want. Though with full coverage I would definitely recommend contouring to counter the mask-esquesness (it is so a word, lol).

You definitely want to be sure that you use a primer. At the very least I would say be very well moisturized. I recently started on Retin-A (I really need to do a post on this stuff. It's the bee's knees.) and my skin is drier than usual. I tried this initially on bare skin and blending was a chore to say the least.

After trying different brushes, I have settled with on the 187. Other foundation brushes work just as well for blending. The long white bristles of the 187 allowed me to pick a very small amount of product and still be able to dot it on my face. I tried using a concealer brush but I kept getting too much on the brush.

The mineral oil hasn't been a problem. I figure it's because you're only using this much. This jar is easily going to last for at least year. It feels very light on the skin. I wouldn't go as far as saying it's wieghtless but it's no hearvier than MAC Studio Fix Fluid or Revlon Colorstay. It does indeed look rather natural on the skin. If your looking for a matte finish though, than this isn't for you. The finish is somewhere between dewy and matte, depending on your skin type and primer used. I used it with Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 55 sunscreen and was more matte than when I used MAC Prep+ Prime Face Protect SPF 50 or Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch (which is one dang good primer). A good dusting with a rice powder or a silica powder gets closer to matte but still allows some natural glow. I can't pull of a totally matte finish so I was really digging this.

Overall, this is a solid product. It wears well and actually looks after it has sat on the skin a while. I can't really complain about the price because this stuff is going to last until the day before forever. Is this HG? Ummm... The jury is still out. I ordered shade #14 and the undertones are a bit too red for me so I am waiting on #13 to come in the mail. From what I've read around the web, most people have had to mix too or three shades of SSE to get a match. This is where I have a prblem... I am used to having to mix shades to get a match. That's not an issue when we're talking drugstore prices. At $45 a pop though, I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around this. If I do end up keeping both it's because I have truly acheived foundation nirvana and search has come to an end. Yeah right... I make me laugh! Lol!

On a professional note... SSE is the truth ruth! A workhorse of a product that photgraphs well and plays nice with other makeup. I haven't been able to find any info regarding a pro discount anywhere. It would be nice to have a few key shades in you kit though so you can mix shades for your needs.

It's a small jar. That is HIP cream liner, SSE and a MAC e/s.



The nekkid truth. I told ya'll hyperpigmentation is the debil!
All you need is just a wee bit.

I just stippled it on my cheeks and chin. I've learned that if it doens't need coverage than just leave it alone. SSE blends out like a dream.

Ta da!
The finished FOTD.




Products used:
Face- Clarins Perfect Touch Prime, SSE X14, NAR Taj Mahal, Maybelline Retro Rouge
Eyes- TFSI, About Face Cometics Over Coiffed, Tattered and Torn, The Golden Rule (pictures don't these colors justice! you gotta get on these ladies), some random mascara that I picked up.
Lips- Revlon Colorstay Sheer Coral

Let me know what you think ladies. HG material? To darn expensive to even consider it HG (yeah... I ain't even mad. $45 is shoe money)?

B.B.