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A Truly Fantastic Foundation

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Base with benefits: more bang for your buck

I'm beginning to wonder if there could be a fatal flaw in my blogging style - mama writes way too much. Give me a deadline, a sub-editor who has no truck for over matter, or a designer who likes white expanses more than words and I can reign myself in - just. Left to my own devices and I feel compelled to fill the scrolling blank space. I guess I've just got a case of the verbals: love to write, love to talk. Note to self: try to be snappier. I can't see it happening...


So, I've been using Max Factor Ageless Elixir 2-in-1 Serum Foundation daily - for a month - and have no qualms in saying it's pretty close to perfect. There's been a big trend of late for beauty products that perform on a 'global' level addressing multiple skin concerns in a single formula. We've already seen the delivery in skincare - think No7's Protect and Perfect, Olay's Regenerist and Lancome's Genefic  - but for cosmetics, buying into serious 'with benefits' lines (as opposed to those who've had a couple of vitamins wafted in their direction), has up until recently meant spending with a premium range at a prestige price point. 


I'll admit to being a bit of a foundation snob. It is what I'm willing to splash the most cash on given that if a base is bad the result is horrid: hence my unswerving loyalty to Armani Face Fabric and Givenchy Photo'Perfection Light. Still, I love a bargain as much as the next girl which is why I'm impressed to find a purse-friendly option (£12.99), that achieves surprisingly high-end effects.


Ageless Elixir goes on like a dream. It almost hovers above the skin, smoothing on with a soft, buttery texture that manages to be both hydrating and non-greasy. How? It is also THE easiest foundation to apply. You could, for instance, be on a standing-room-only packed train with one hand countering the effects of a broken buggy against gravity and the other, mercifully, free to whack on a bit of maquillage - without the need for a mirror. Takes seconds. Not that I have ever done that; of course.


The finish is semi-matte with just the right level of radiance, the coverage completely build-able but it's the polished, expensive look it gives skin I'm sold on. In the 'extra benefits' bag, you've got SPF15, antioxidants and trusty old glycerin to lock in moisture. Then, there's niacinamide - shown to strengthen the skin's barrier, improve cell turnover and reduce the appearance of uneven skin tone and redness - and n-acetyl glucosamine, useful in boosting moisture content, collagen production and spurring cell turnover. 


Bottom line: if you want more bang for your buck Ageless Elixir is a winner. Instant gratification with longer-term benefits - what's not to love?

2 comments:

Make me up said...

beautifully written, I've not tried this foundation before but I will be checking it out next time I pop into Boots. I can be a bit of a make up snob too! I think if you buy better you buy less, Kia x

Hannah Adams said...

Thank you so much for your comment. My first :) Exciting. I, too, love a bit of luxury but nothing beats finding a bargain when it works. Hope you like it. Btw, your illustrations are wonderful x

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