My Top 5 Lightweight Bases/Foundations

Every great look starts with the right base. Foundation is so important to start off a look with a blank canvas. Now, depending on the look you're going for, you may want a lighter coverage or a fuller coverage and you'll want to choose the right product accordingly. I wanted to talk about some of my favorite lighter coverage and lighter weight bases. Remember that foundation isn't intended to do all the work and cover every little spot on your face. That's where concealer can come to the rescue. So, even if you have one or two blemishes, you can still get away with a lighter coverage and just conceal the areas you need heavier coverage. I really love lighter coverage products because they tend to feel lighter and more comfortable on the skin and you can normally see a bit of your skin through the product. This keeps you looking more natural and you can fool people into thinking that you aren't wearing anything on your face. Nice! So, I think this can be great for summer time or everyday use or even for a night out if you have quite good skin. You don't need to mask it all off. There is, however, definitely a place for fuller coverage products. That being said, I will do a follow up to this post in the next couple of weeks to talk through my favorite fuller coverage bases that I tend to use when my skin is acting up or for an evening out when you want to look like you have a porcelain complexion. First things first though, lighter coverage. Let's get started with my favorites (they're in no particular order). 

Review - Chanel CC Cream

A few weeks back I ordered the new Chanel CC Cream. I have to say that Chanel bases are amongst my favorites. So, when I saw that they were releasing their own CC cream, I had to give it a try. Let's get the 'not-so-good' out of the way. For one, it's Chanel so yes, it's a luxury product and you're going to pay for it. $55 for 30ML to be exact. And to be quite frank, the shade range sucks. As in, there is no shade range. I've only seen it on Chanel.com in 20 Beige which, lucky enough, just so happens to be my color. If you're fair or medium fair in skin tone, this color will work for you. It's sheer enough and has neutral undertones so multiple skin tones in that range can get away with using it. Unfortunately, if you're deeper in complexion, you're out of luck. I'm not sure if they plan to come out with more shades, but I wish they would!

OK, enough of the bad stuff, let's get to the beauty of this product! If you like products that are easy to apply, lightweight, sheer and non greasy, you have to sample this out. It has a creamy consistency out of the tube, but as you apply (I use clean fingers to work it in) it just melts into your skin, smooths over it masking pores and/or uneven texture. Once it's worked in and sets, it leaves you with a velvety finish. Almost feels like a cream to powder product which is quite unique. It looks very natural. Like your skin but better. You can't even tell you have anything on (major plus). It definitely has the potential to be built up slightly by applying a few thin layers in areas that need more coverage, but this isn't going to cover any blemishes or hyperpigmentation. I feel that it will just enhance your skin, give it radiance, even out tone and texture, and blur (not cover) blemishes or spots. What I do if I have a blemish is apply the CC cream to even out my skin and I'll just add concealer in the areas that need it. If you want, another option is to use this as a primer/tinted base to layer beneath your usual foundation. It will help even out texture and tone so you will need less makeup. Plus, the radiance it gives your skin will still show through which is nice.

Summer Must Haves

Continuing on with the theme of summer, I wanted to share some of my favorites for these warmer months. Things I tend to love during the summer are products that are light weight and easy. I'm all about no fuss. Let's be real, especially in LA, it's too hot to care. So, I tried pulling some of my go to products to share with you. 

Origins VitaZing SPF 15 - I love this stuff. To start, its a great moisturizer. Not too heavy or greasy and it has SPF which is essential for being out in the sun. The best part of this though? It has these little magic beads (not literally, but you know...) that disperse a small amount of pigment to create an even glowing complexion. It's very light weight. Much lighter than a tinted moisturizer, but it really perks up your skin and makes you look healthy. It's marketed for all skin types - I personally would say that if you're any extreme (very dry or very oily) that this probably isn't best for you. Otherwise, I'd definitely give it a test run. Great for a foundation base or to wear alone on casual days.