Imagine a foundation that not only flawlessly matches your skin tone but also delivers long-lasting coverage and a natural matte finish. EVEN on oily and acne-prone skin (like mine). I’ve tried and tested Il Makiage’s Woke Up Like This foundation so you don’t have to.
From its cruelty-free and vegan formula to its skin-friendly ingredients, here are my top 10 reasons why this foundation has earned a place in my makeup bag.
The left side shows just how much a few pumps manages to cover. My dark circles, redness, hyperpigmentation are covered
Lightweight and Buildable Coverage: This foundation has a lightweight texture that feels comfortable on my skin. It offers buildable coverage, which lets me customise the level of coverage I want, from light to medium or even heavy. I don’t normally go heavy but have done for nights out and it stays in place until I take it off (especially if I prep my skin with primer)
Natural Matte Finish: I like the natural matte finish that Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation provides. It gives my skin a flawless, uniform look without looking overly matte or dry.
Long-Lasting Formula: Even after wearing the foundation for 17+ hours (see below pics), it stayed in place and maintained its coverage. I no longer have to worry about my makeup fading or melting away throughout the day.
Accurate Shade Matcher: The Shade Matcher tool called “PowerMatch” on the Il Makiage website is incredibly accurate. Answering a few questions helped me find my perfect shade (#35), and it turned out to be a spot-on recommendation.
Suitable for Combination Skin: I have combination skin (and a very oily forehead) so I was worried it’d make my skin worse or flare up with acne. It didn’t exacerbate my oily areas or dry out the sensitive parts of my face. I wasn’t itching to get it off after a long day like I normally would be and it didn’t make my spots break out.
Skin-Friendly Ingredients: Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation is enriched with Vitamin E for anti-aging benefits. It also includes hyaluronic acid for hydration, protection, and filling in wrinkles. These ingredients contribute to the overall health and appearance of my skin.
Dewy, Yet Non-Greasy Finish: Despite having a matte finish, this foundation gives my skin a dewy glow without making it look greasy. It strikes the perfect balance, making my skin look fresh and radiant but not greasy.
Resistant to Sweat and Workout: I was pleasantly surprised to find that this foundation stayed intact even after a sweaty workout. It didn’t clump, melt, or become patchy, maintaining its coverage and longevity.
Cruelty-Free and Vegan: One of the top reasons I love Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation is that it is cruelty-free and vegan. I can feel good about using a product that aligns with my values.
Excellent Customer Service: Whenever I had questions or needed assistance, the Il Makiage customer service team was prompt, polite, and helpful. Their dedication to customer satisfaction enhances my overall experience with the brand. I got in touch via their Facebook page.
In conclusion, Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation has become one of my favourite make-up products. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high-quality foundation that is good for oily skin.
If you want to try it yourself, go through PowerMatch, the shade matcher. If you decide to return the foundation, you get a longer returns window if you go through PowerMatch so I’d suggest doing it! It only takes a few minutes.
How much is Woke Up Like This?
It’s £39. It’s free delivery over £50. Signing up for a delivery subscription every 4 months costs £35.10 so a 10% discount. Use the discount code welcome10 for 10% off.
Facetheory is a UK-based skincare brand; Leaping Bunny & PETA approved. I’ve been using them for years, as being a bit lazy, I love it when a website makes it super easy to choose products right for you. I go for products to support with oily skin, acne and hyperpigmentation.
They have a ‘routine builder’ on their website which asks you a few questions and at the end, suggests several products. I did this, but I used it more of a guide. Once I knew the key products (moisturiser, vitamin c etc) I then looked and found my own favourites.
I’ve been using the Supergel moisturiser since 2019 but recently purchased more products, including some for my husband who has the opposite skin to me. Mine is oily, acne-prone and not very sensitive. His is very sensitive, dry and he has redness.
My new routine with Facetheory after painful fungal acne
Photo of my skin after holiday – painful bumps so I stopped all products and began with FaceTheory which has transformed my skin
After coming home from holiday, I had really sore skin. I haven’t been properly diagnosed, but I think I had fungal acne, caused by all the oils in the Elemis cleansing balm I was using to remove makeup 🙁
It caused such a big, painful flare up, I stopped using all products and investigated until I was 99% sure what my next steps were to be.
I cleaned out all products that contain anything that would aggravate the fungal acne (basically 90% of products) and purchased new products – the majority being from Facetheory.
Facetheory benefits – from their website facetheory.com. The products are super clean.
My favourite things about buying from Facetheory are:
most products don’t contain anything that’ll trigger fungal acne
all products are vegan and cruelty-free
prices are affordable (although there’s been a recent 2023 price increase – more on that below)
setting up subscriptions for my favourite products so I never run out, plus get a small discount
you get offers and discounts often in your inbox and accrue points for each order (4 points = £1, but they have tiers depending on how much you spend – the lowest is 2 points per £1)
my favourite Facetheory skincare products
My favourite Facetheory products to use on my oily, acne-prone skin
Vitamin C
Regena C30 Pro Vitamin C Serum with 30% Ethyl Ascorbic Acid (£34 although I pay less with subscription)
I use a small blob of this every morning before moisturiser. It contains 30% Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, to target dull and uneven skin, signs of ageing, inflammation and acne bacteria. 30% is quite high, so Facetheory also make a 20% version.
It’s reduced my hyperpigmentation especially on my forehead, and made my skin look more awake.
Regena Vitamin C serum – I use 2 drops in a morning
Regena Vitamin C serum – I use 2 drops in a morning
Moisturiser
Supergel Oil-free Moisturiser M3 for Oily and Acne-Prone Skin with Aloe Vera and Niacinamide (£16)
I absolutely love this moisturiser. It’s made for people with oily and acne-prone skin, but my husband uses it and he has very sensitive skin. He loves it as it’s “really thin, easily absorbed and doesn’t dry out my skin”. He’s bought his own tube now so I get mine back!
It contains Niacinamide which helps to reduce pore size. Salicylic acid helps congested skin without causing irritation or any redness. I use this moisturiser under SPF.
Facetheory Supergel moisturiser I use every morning. It’s super light-weight and slides into skin – no stickiness
Toner
Cera-C Pore Reducing Toner T1 with Niacinamide, Ceramides and Vitamin C (£15)
Next up is the toner, which has tons of goodies, including Niacinamide to balance oily skin and reduce pore size. It also contains Ceramides to help your skin retain moisture, Panthenol to absorb moisture, and Vitamin C to help fight breakouts and brightens skin.
I use this toner with a cotton pad. I use one side on half my face, then turn the cotton pad over and clean the other side of my face. I tip the bottle top vertically over the cotton pad, giving me about a pea-sized amount to work with. This is so I don’t go back over clean skin with the dirt from another area.
Facetheory cera c pore refining toner – this bottle was a free sample but I now buy the 200ml beast size
… plus I use the Freshening Face Wash C4 (£11) for a cleanser and Hylafecta 2% Hyaluronic Acid Serum S14 (£22), which aren’t on my subscription list, yet.
Face Wash
Freshening Face Wash C4, £11
I use this both in the morning and at night. It contains Green Tea Extract to detox and remove impurities, and Aloe Vera to soothe and clarify. It’s £11 and comes in a chunky 140ml glass bottle with an easy-to-use pump.
My full morning staple routine from L-R: face wash, toner, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, moisturiser
So basically my skincare is 90% covered with Facetheory. And my skin has never looked better for it.
What are the products like?
As mentioned above, I have 3 products on subscription I get every few months. I love them all as they’ve completely changed my skin.
My husband uses the same moisturiser as me (Supergel) and swears by it even though we’ve got completely different skin. His skin is very sensitive so he usually doesn’t use any skincare because they make his skin worse, but he’s been using Supergel for months now and has even branched out to use the Amil-C Whip M5 SPF 30 and another moisturiser, Aventhra Moisturiser M2.
Supergel moisturiser is very light so a pea-sized amount is able to glide over and cover your whole face.
My discount code
Through my account I get a friends and fam code. Use this link to get 20% off your first purchase (I also get points if you do this!)
I have several products on subscription so I was able to lock in the prices before the increase in early 2023. Some increases are a few pounds, but others have increased quite considerably.
Regena C30 Pro Vitamin C Serum with 30% Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, 30ml, was £26.99 in Dec 2022. I purchased it again a month later (Jan 2023) for £22.94 then again at the end of March for £28. It’s now £34 on the website. I get it for £22.94 as I locked-in this price as a subscription.
The Supergel moisturiser was £12.74 in Jan 2023, and is now £16. It doesn’t seem much but it’s still an increase of 25%.
If you’re looking to purchase from them, I’d suggest signing up for an account and signing up to their newsletter. They have offers going all the time, so you’ll be sure to bag a bargain if you keep an eye out.
Or use my code to get 20% off your first order (I also get points if you do this!)
I’m always nervous at trying a new exfoliator. They either break me out in spots because they’re too harsh, or make my oily skin worse. What I like about this Il Makiage exfoliator is that you can be as soft or as hard as you like with the scrubbing, depending on your skin. The tiny balls help clean your skin, but aren’t harsh, and are made of jojoba oil which is good for acne scars.
The bottle is a good size and has a funky flower pattern on the lid
What’s the Il Makiage exfoliator good for? What are the benefits?
According to Il Makiage website, the powder polish exfoliator:
gets rid of excess dead skin cells to…
…show new skin underneath which makes you look glowy
reduces uneven skin tone
frees up congestion
The same as any old exfoliator, right? The difference I found to this exfoliator was that afterwards, my face wasn’t a sore, hot mess. The tiny balls dissolve easily and quickly, so the rubbing isn’t harsh on your skin. Sometimes my skin is red raw when I’ve used exfoliators, especially to the sides of my nose where it’s sensitive. See the below pics straight away after using the Il Makiage exfoliator, where my skin looks its normal colour.
From the IlMakiage.com website at the time of writing
By removing the dead skin cells your skin (unsurprisingly) gets smoother. When you exfoliate, make-up (including foundation) stays on better as it’s got a smoother base to work with.
I exfoliate once every 4 days as part of my skin cycling routine. It’s a very important step to do in skincare, but don’t overdo it as it can irritate. I normally use Paula’s Choice on my skin as part of skin cycling day 2 ‘exfoliate’, but used this Il Makiage instead which got the job done.
This is probably a bit too much! I usually use a pea-sized amount
The Il Makiage Exfoliator contains Shea butter and Jojoba Oil which have good properties for use on your skin. They include:
Shea butter – boosts skin moisture – is anti-inflammatory which helps soothe skin problems, and has antioxidants to fight ageing.
Jojoba oil is great for acne/scaring/psoriasis/sunburn because of allthe antioxidants. It also contains copper and zinc which can treat hair loss
Have a look at the rest of the benefits on Ilmakiage.com.
What’s the texture like?
It’s creamy and has small jojoba balls that break up once you rub it into your skin – this helps with the exfoliation but isn’t too harsh unless you really go for it with scrubbing (I wouldn’t recommend if you have sensitive skin). You can see after using, my skin isn’t red or irritated which I sometimes get, so I’m really happy with this.
I rubbed it in for a minute, left it for a minute, then removed with a warm flannel.
It has small yellow balls which are great for exfoliating – they break up when smoothing on skin
Removing the powder polish gently with a warm flannel
Even straight away after removing, there’s no redness – it’s not harsh at all, sometimes exfoliators leave me red
straight away afterwards – super fresh & clean skin without no irritation. I leave it for at least 20 mins, remove, and apply moisturiser.
Where can I buy it and how much is it?
Buy it from Ilmakiage.com – remember to use discount code welcome10 for 10% off!
It’s £58 for 80ml, or £52.20 (10% off) when you subscribe.
It sounds pretty expensive, but it’ll probably last you a while. It lasted me 3 months, of using a small pea size twice a week.
You get UK free delivery on orders over £50, otherwise it’s £3.95.
Is Il Makiage good for ageing skin?
Yes! I’m 35 (nearly 36 shhhh) and I love using the foundation and concealer with the brushes. The brushes are soft so they don’t pull on my skin. The foundation and concealer aren’t too thick, so they’re easy to apply and they don’t settle in my fine lines, even when I go for a heavier look!
Foundation – the ‘woke up like this’ foundation contains ingredients: Vitamin E for anti-ageing benefits and hyaluronic acid for hydration, protection and filling wrinkles
Concealer – the ‘f*ck I’m flawless’ concealer is Oil-free, paraben-free & phthalate-free, enriched with hydrating & moisturising ingredients
See my thorough blogs on the Woke Up Like This foundation and F*ck I’m Flawless concealer. I have the primer also, but I don’t tend to use it as I’ve never liked primer. It always feels clogging, no matter what brand I use. That being said, I have nothing against the Il Makiage one, as it sets my make-up better – see my blog on the primer here.
Available from Ilmakiage.com – remember to use discount code welcome10 for 10% off!
Is Il Makiage a trustworthy brand?
They’re rated ‘Excellent’ on TrustPilot with over 66K reviews which is a pretty big plus.
They’ve got a huge following – 486K on Facebook, 16K Youtube subscribers, and 1.2M followers on Instagram. If you don’t believe all that because let’s be honest, they could have paid for them, it’s worthwhile searching on social media for trustworthy reviews. I’ve been using the brand for over a year, and have tried several of their products, all of which I like and most still use to this day. I first tried the foundation back in 2021 and still use it now after repurchasing myself, along with the concealer & brushes regularly.
Is Il Makiage exfoliator vegan and cruelty-free?
It’s cruelty-free – even featured on Peta:
https://crueltyfree.peta.org/company/il-makiage/
It’s unfortunately not vegan – it’s possibly due to the ingredient ‘lactose’ which is from milk.
The ingredients – it’s cruelty-free but not vegan
I hope you liked this review. The powder polish exfoliator is available on the Il Makiage website. Buy it from Ilmakiage.com – remember to use discount code welcome10 for 10% off!
Is the exfoliator fungal acne safe?
No, it isn’t – this is why I wouldn’t purchase the exfoliator.
If you’ve read my other blogs you’ll know I suffer from fungal acne (although it’s not been diagnosed by a professional) It was caused by too much oil in products I was using, mainly Elemis Cleansing Balm to remove makeup. Since then I’ve been obsessed with checking ingredients over at https://folliculitisscout.com. You copy in the ingredients, and it spits out a huge list of results.
The results for this exfoliator indicate 7 ingredients contain triggers for fungal acne (mainly oil which blocks pores):
If you don’t suffer, then the Il Makiage exfoliator is great. I didn’t notice it triggered my fungal acne as I was using it, and I used it for a few months (twice per week) until I’d used the whole bottle but I won’t re-buy just because I don’t want my skin to be unhappy again. Check out my Elemis blog if you want to see how my skin worsened from using it.
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When I was on holiday towards the end of 2022, I had painful, sore acne. Acne I’ve never had before. It was very sore, all over my face, with painful small-to-large bumps that didn’t have a head.
this was my forehead after returning from holidayphoto of my cheek with painful acne
I haven’t been diagnosed properly by a doctor, but I’m pretty sure I had fungal acne caused by the ingredients in the Elemis cleansing balm I was using on holiday to remove my make up. The ingredients contains 13 ‘triggers’ causing inflammation to my skin, including several types of oil.
Once I stopped using it and included other products into my routine, the fungal acne went away. I started using Malezia’s moisturiser and FaceTheory products together, and stopped using anything that contained triggers including the Elemis balm. The acne started to go, slowly.
Malezia moisturiser for fungal acne
When I got back from my holiday, I did a lot of research. That’s how I found out about fungal acne and what it looks/feels like, and why I think I had it. Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer is 100% fungal acne safe so it doesn’t contain any triggers that sooo many products do (such as Elemis, mentioned above). It’s main (key) ingredient is urea.
What is urea and why is it so important?
Urea is a molecule found in your skin and improves the barrier function.
Urea is one of those magical unicorn ingredients with the ability to both hydrate AND mildly exfoliate. It’s so effective as a hydrator, in fact, that it outperforms vaseline in some studies.
It’s obviously fungal-acne safe, proven by the website tool I always use when checking out ingredients:
fungal acne results of malezia urea moisturiser on folliculitisscout.com – all safe!
Is Malezia vegan and cruelty-free?
Our products are vegan and we don’t test on animal (or have a desire to). Additionally, none of our suppliers have tested on animals in the past 5 years. We are in the process of getting leaping bunny certified.
My skin is SO much better now I’ve stopped using any products containing fungal-acne triggers. I use this moisturiser at night before bed. It’s the nicest, thickest moisturiser I’ve ever used. It doesn’t smell strong, and glides on my skin like a dream. I’m absolutely loving it, but I’d have to for the price it takes to be delivered from the US (more on that below).
This was my skin after stopping using the Elemis, and just starting the Malezia back in January’23:
This was my skin after stopping using the Elemis, and just starting the Malezia
My skin after using for a few months (a few angles)
I bought my first Malezia at the start of January and these were taken last week – so around 2.5 months PLUS the week before my period which is usually when I breakout:
This was my skin after using Malezia for a few months – pic 1/4 – still have hyperpigmentation on my forehead but massively reduced
This was my skin after using Malezia for a few months – pic 2/4
This was my skin after using Malezia for a few months including makeup – pic 3/4 This was my skin after using Malezia for a few months – pic 4/4 including makeup
So as you can see, from a few months of using it, my skin has changed massively. I no longer have larger red sore spots, or smaller bumps across my forehead.
I use a pea-sized amount 4-5 times a week, before bed.
Malezia tube key
It cost £3 and well worth it – this little gadget helps you get every last drop of liquid out of the tube. It’s made of aluminum and feels high quality – never thought I’d say that about a tube key. It’s heavy and gets the job done. I’ve also used it on toothpaste.
Malezia tube keyMalezia tube key to get out every last drop
How much is it and where can I buy it?
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturiser is £20 + delivery, which if you’re in the UK, is unfortunately more expensive than the product.
I ordered back in January and it cost me a total of $42.82 ($18.46 was delivery) then my last order (end of March) cost me £62.70, made up of £24 in delivery charges which was probably due to the weight as I ordered 2x bottles plus the tube key (total £43).
After using it for a few months and being really happy with the results, I reached out to become an affiliate of Malezia. I have a discount code you can use, ‘Rachael’ which gets you 20% off everything. Buy it from their website, https://malezia.com/
This order cost me £62.70 including delivery – 2 bottles, tube key and delivery
Delivery from ordering to receiving in the UK took 11 days. It was posted the day after I ordered.
Delivery charges are expensive, but it’s worth it in my opinion for the product, as the quality is amazing & it lasts months. I’ve used products much more expensive than this so when I look at it from that angle, it doesn’t bother me so much to spend £62.30 on 2x bottles (plus a tube key I won’t need to buy again).
After using it for a few months and being really happy with the results, I reached out to become an affiliate of Malezia. I have a discount code you can use, ‘Rachael’ which gets you 20% off everything. Buy it from their website, https://malezia.com/
The code really works:
malezia discount code Rachael for 20% off but you have to go through my aff link
Any negatives?
Yeah – they haven’t put me off buying, as I’ve just reordered 2x more but YES there were a few things I didn’t like:
1) The tube looked half full. The bottle came full and intact, but when I squeezed it, the size reduced massively! It made me think they hadn’t filled it enough. I emailed them about this, and #2.
2) The top rim is yellow, which doesn’t look pleasant and it didn’t come with a silver/foil-type cover. It made me think of gone-off moisturiser you’ve had in your draw for 2 years.
I emailed Malezia about these 2 issues:
My email:
Hi there, I’ve just received so thank you! I wanted to check, should the bottle be open or have a seal? It’s come without a seal, yellow around the rim & when I’ve taken out a pea-sized amount, the packaging has massively gone in so it looks like it’s already half used
Malezia replied within an impressive 5 hours. They explain all points below which I’ve copied in, however, a summary is that yes there is air in the bottle but the weight of product is correct; it doesn’t need a seal as the bottle is airtight, and the yellow staining isn’t rust but epoxy which is harmless.
Malezia email reply to my issues
I love how they replied straight away, but these points are also in their FAQs on the website meaning they are popular (negative) questions. When I opened the product, I was initially disappointed – not 1 but 2 things I wanted to question. Both ‘problems’ have been sorted with context, but it ruined the experience for me. That being said, it didn’t stop me from re-ordering, although the next time I did, I ordered 2x bottles due to the cost of delivery, which takes me to problem #3.
3) Delivery charges to the UK is more than the product!
My last order cost £62.70 where delivery cost was £24 of that. Hence why I bought 2 at £20 each which should last me at least 4-5 months.
I don’t like to moan but these things really effected my experience in a negative way. I was excited at getting the delivery but felt deflated as I had to email and ask about the problems I found. Having those questions as FAQs tells me they’re popular questions from customers, so if I felt a little disappointed, there are others that did too – so it’s something Malezia could look into at fixing properly. That being said, they’re a small business doing right in the world, so if they don’t fix these problems then that’s fine by me – I’ll keep buying anyway!
After using it for a few months and being really happy with the results, I reached out to become an affiliate of Malezia. I have a discount code you can use, ‘Rachael’ which gets you 20% off everything. Buy it from their website, https://malezia.com/
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Using Il Makiage's concealer with 140 blender brush
I’ve been using Il Makiage for nearly 2 years now and still keep going back to it. I’ve tried a few other concealers, including Estee Lauder ‘stay in place’ and Mac ‘Pro longwear’, but I still go back to Il Makiage.
I have to agree – I use it for dark circles under eye bags, hyperpigmentation on my forehead and sides of my face, and of course – spots! It’s very light, which sinks into my skin really well and it’s buildable on those days when I’ve had a crap sleep and need extra under my eyes.
Using Il Makiage’s concealer with 140 blender brush
The lotions, potions and make up only stay on your skin as well as you look after your skin! To make sure my skin is prepped for makeup, I do the following:
I dermaplane every 2 weeks (basically shaving your face, but it takes off the top layer revealing soft skin underneath. Don’t do over spots though)
Cleanse, tone and moisturise, giving at least 10 minutes time before applying make up to allow the lotions to sink in
Use a primer after moisturiser – I use the Il Makiage primer, but sometimes the Embryolisse “lait-crème concentré” if my skin is in need of a good hydration
What are the benefits?
The biggest pluses for me are that it comes in over 30 shades, giving us a big choice. This can sometimes be tricky if you are unsure – I actually emailed them my picture when deciding on the foundation, so I’m sure you could do this too.
My shade 2.5 is LIGHT and ORANGE although I didn’t pick this as I’m clueless. They have over 30 shades to choose from. My shade is 2.5
Otherwise they have a 100-day returnspolicy so you can literally, return for your money back.
My shade is 2.5 which is skin-tone ‘light’ and undertone ‘orange’.
It’s cruelty-free, vegan, oil-free and paraben-free – so no nasties and no nasty treatment to animals – winner!
It’s buildable, but also light enough to wear with just one layer. I tend to use more layers on spots, and only one on my under eye area as it’s quite thin and make up can sit in my fine lines (I am mid-30’s you know).
I only like light coverage under my eye as it’s thin skinI gently dab, being careful not to pull as again the skin is thin!Using concealer on your lids helps eye shadow stay on longer. I also sometimes use another concealer brush that’s longer and extremely soft, for going in on my lids where I’m extra careful not to pull my skin I like to use my bigger foundation brush (Il Makiage 100) sometimes when I’m blendingUsing for hiding those pesky spotsUsing my Il Makiage foundation brush, 100, to gently buff in the concealerSpots nicely hidden!
How long does it last?
It lasts all day, over 12 hours at least.
This is me after a 17 hour day – including sweating and walking in the rain! The spots on my chin are more noticeable but after a long day, it’s understandable, plus they’re not too badly showing
How much are the concealer & brushes?
The concealer is £27 for 7ml which is pretty standard. You can buy it from Il Makiage’s website here. You have to spend over £50 to get free delivery, otherwise it’s £3.95. Use the voucher code ‘welcome10’ to get 10% off 🙂 you’re welcome!
If you’re going for the concealer, I would personally try the ‘woke up like this’ foundation. I’ve been using both for nearly 2 years, and they go really well together. I often use both if I’m out for several hours – neither fades much by the end of a long day.
If you’re unsure on your foundation shade, use powermatch to help you find your shade – I used it and it was perfect (I’m 035). If you buy both, you’ll get free delivery.
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I’ve been using Il Makiage’s foundation and concealer for over a year so I decided to treat myself and purchase the rest of the set – including the foundation brush.
It’s £38, so it’s a premium brush, up there with others such as IT Cosmetics (Heavenly Luxe is £36), Bobbie Brown Brush (full coverage, £36) and a few from MAC (190 foundation, and 196 flat top both £28). I know it seems like quite an expense, but if you think of how much you use it – for me, it’s a few times a week, which means regular washing, I need it to last so I need a high quality brush.
I’ve used cheap brushes in the past which are fine for a few months but then the brushes turn hard and nasty, so I don’t mind spending £38 for a brush that’ll last literally years.
It’s a dome-shape with soft and dense bristles, perfect for liquid or cream foundation. It says it’s perfect for a ‘high to medium’ coverage but I tend to go with a lighter finish and it does the job perfectly for me.
Il Makiage 100 Foundation Blending brushThe bristles are really soft but it’s a dense brush which allows you to really go in deep to keep the foundation on for as long as possible
How easily does the brush apply foundation?
I personally use a brush or sometimes a beauty blender if I can be bothered. This brush allows me to really pad the foundation into my skin, giving me a really nice deep finish, but it doesn’t feel harsh because the brush is so soft.
A small blob of foundation covers redness near my nose, plus uneven skin tone & spotsI used a primer beforehand to get the foundation looking smooth and so it stays on for as long as possible
How do you clean the brush?
I clean it after I use it with ISOClean, which is 1-3 times per week. There isn’t any signs of wear or tear so far, and I’ve had it for 8 months. Check out my ISOClean blog here. It’s basically liquid you spray on to your brushes, rub them, which cleans within a minute – and drys within 30-50 seconds too depending on the brush size. It gets rid of germs and all nasties and there’s no rinse required, so you can have a dirty brush one minute, and clean ready to use the next!
What’s your final review?
I love the 100 brush. I even use it for blending in concealer if I’ve got a bigger area, like the spots on my chin in the above pics. It’s quite a big expense at £38 but (hopefully) it’ll last years and years, even with constant cleaning.
Don’t forget to use a primer to ensure your skin is smooth and to help your makeup last for as long as possible! 12 hours later, the foundation is still mostly on
Buy it from Il Makiage’s website for £38 – don’t forget to use the code welcome10 for 10% off!
UPDATE: 11 June 2023 I’ve been using for a while now and cleaning at least once a week – no signs of wear or tear. Continues to be my favourite brush. I’ve even started to use it after foundation to apply bronzer.
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After using Sand and Sky’s Australian pink clay for some time (which is around £36 per 60ml – see my blog here) I decided to give this a try after spotting it in Aldi for £2.99 for 60ml.
Lacure Aldi Pink Clay mask – box and brush
I’ve recently been suffering with fungal acne (I think – not properly diagnosed) on my forehead and lots of spots around my chin, so I’ve been very careful about what I’ve been using on my skin as I don’t want to irritate it. I’ve reduced the number of products I’m using down to 5 in total (not all on the same day either) so after buying, I checked the ingredients online – it was an impulse purchase but not an expensive one!
Ingredients – what’s in it?
I use https://folliculitisscout.com to check the ingredients of beauty products. It’s really easy – you simply copy and paste the list of ingredients into the website, and it says whether or not it contains fungal-acne triggers.
I’m not sure why but the list of ingredients isn’t on the Aldi website. I found it on a random website, https://incidecoder.com. It shows that none ingredients are a fungal acne trigger:
Ingredients checked for fungal acne triggers on folliculitisscout.com
I also use another website, not just for fungal-acne: skincarisma.com checks against a load of things including alcohol, paraben, sulfate, silicone etc.
Investigating the ingredients on Skincarisma.com: https://www.skincarisma.com/
It shows Lacura Pink Clay mask is good for as it contains:
Dry skin (glycerin, Butylene Glycol)
Anti-aging (Citric Acid)
Sensitive skin (Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder)
But bad for:
Dry skin (contains alcohol)
Allergins (Limonene – perfume)
It looks very creamy
Is it cruelty-free and vegan?
It says it’s cruelty-free on the Aldi website. Nothing about it being vegan unfortunately.
It’s cruelty-free according to the Aldi website
It’s slightly less thick than Sand and Sky’s pink clay mask, but no difference in quality (in my opinion)
I decided to go ahead with it, even though it contains a few naughties (alcohol for one). My main concern was fungal-acne triggers, and as it doesn’t have any, I went ahead.
When I was in the store, I read the box which states:
draws out impurities…. refines pores, contains witch hazel
according to the box
I really wanted a mask to clear my skin – to give it a really deep down gentle cleanse.
As you can see from this photo, my forehead has a very uneven skin tone plus several bumps (which I think is fungal acne). I also get lots of black heads on my nose and chin I want to clear out.
It feels lovely and creamy to apply but isn’t runny so it stays on your skinThe brush you get within the box allows you to make a neat job applying the mask10 minutes later – lots of drying, and you can see the pores on my nose being cleaned outLots of little bumps on my forehead are being cleaned out at this pointIt dried in just over 13 minutes and was flakey
How long do you leave it on for and how do you remove?
The box advises you to leave it on for 10 minutes then rinse off with a warm flannel. I did as instructed. Compared to the expensive Sand & Sky mask, it was a lot harder to remove. With Sand & Sky, I used to remove it in the shower and it took less than 30 seconds with warm water. This took me around 5 minutes. It was hard to remove and stubborn, so it took me longer as I was being extra gentle with my skin.
I used a smooth, soft, warm damp flannel to remove the mask It took me over 5 minutes to remove as it was quite stubbornThis was my skin BEFORE using the mask – you can see an oily foreheadAFTER using the mask – a different light (sorry) BUT you can see my skin looks brighter and less congested My skin afterwards was a little red from getting the mask off and my fungal acne on my forehead wasn’t happy and quite raw
This was my skin the day after – it’s bright, slightly red on my nose but my skin is SO much clearer. I’ve always got red on the sides of my nose, so don’t let that put you off.
The mask has massively reduced the bumps on my forehead and it looks much less oily:
The day after – my skin is so much clearer – still have acne, but it’s less red and the bumps on my forehead are reduced. I’ve always got red on the sides of my nose!
What’s your review? Would you use the Lacura mask again?
Yes I would absolutely use it again. It cleared out my skin and got rid of my congested areas. It hasn’t made the bumps on my forehead any worse. I’m 100% going to use this as part of my routine, probably using once a week.
The pot looks like it’ll last 6-8 times so for £2.99 it’s extremely cost-effective. I’ve reviewed Sand & Sky’s mask (retails around £36 for 60ml and also the pink clay mask by T Zone)
If you’re unsure, check out the reviews on the Aldi website – there are currently 75 reviews with an average of 4.8/5!
How much is it?
It’s £2.99 from Aldi for 60ml. You can get it from the Aldi website + £2.95 delivery.
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What are the shades available from Il Makiage and how do you pick the right one for you? I got matched to 035 after completing their tool called POWERMATCH. 035 is for lighter skin tones – I put it to the test on my acne-prone skin, dark circles, oily forehead and hyperpigmentation!
They have over 50 shades to choose from, and you can return it if you don’t like the colour within 30 or 60 days depending on whether you’ve used the quiz or not.
Get matched using their tool ‘powermatch’ or get your money back (they will literally refund you and by using the tool, you have longer to return)
If you aren’t sure (as I wasn’t) when I first purchased but their returns policy is amazing – try risk free and return it if you’re not happy. This gave me a lot of confidence I’ll get my money back if it’s the wrong shade (or if I just don’t like it) as it’s risky buying something like this online.
I personally never expect to get the right shade first time.
They have over 50 shades with skin tone and undertone as categoriesThis is how shade 35 looks on the Il Makiage website
Shade 35 is under the ‘light’ skin tone with ‘pink’ undertones. I don’t think this is accurate; I’m definitely more yellow than pink.
Shade 35. It’s a little light for me at the moment as we’ve had a summer of sun here in the UK – it’ll fade soon! Close up – shade 35Not the best lighting but the difference is clear (not sure why I didn’t go straight down the middle!) It covers hyperpigmentation, dark spots, dark circles, spots and redness – all without clogging pores
Here’s how I apply the foundation and what the shade looks like in my Tiktok!
How much foundation do you need to use?
It’s buildable so you can either go for a light coverage (like I normally do – pictured above) or a heavier if you want that fuller coverage.
On the photo above, I’ve got 2 pumps on which doesn’t feel heavy. If I was to want to cover my blemishes and hyperpigmentation fully, I’d need more pumps but it still wouldn’t feel heavy on my skin. One of the reasons why I don’t often wear foundation is the weight of it and how it feels after a few hours of wearing foundation. I’ve got really oily skin so I always notice whenever I’ve got foundation on, but Il Makiage ‘woke up like this’ lasts all day and I’m not desperate to take it off at the end of the day.
Buy it from the Il Makiage website: ilmakiage.com. The foundation is £36, my shade above is 35. You have to spend over £50 to get free delivery, otherwise it’s £3.95. Use the voucher code ‘welcome10’ to get 10% off 🙂 you’re welcome!
If you’re unsure on your foundation shade, use powermatch to help you find your shade – I used it and it was perfect (I’m 35). If you buy both, you’ll get free delivery.
Il Makiage ‘woke up like this’ on my skin – with spots, redness, lots of hyperpigmentationAfter putting the foundation on – it’s covered a lot, and it’s still only a light coverageShowing the foundation below my eyes – my forehead doesn’t have any on and you can see the differenceDon’t forget to blend into your ears and neck line with foundation brush 100The finished result using Il Makiage’s foundation and concealer. Blush from BodyshopThis is me after a 17 hour day – including sweating and walking in the rain!
Il Makiage’s Returns Policy
Il Makiage have a really great returns policy. If you answer the questions in their POWERMATCH which helps you find your colour, they offer a 60-day returns policy (normally 30 days).
In general, any product purchased through our shade-matching quiz(s) is eligible for a sixty-day return period.
I’ve made another blog recently using both foundation and concealer, using the Il Makiage blender brush 100 and concealer brush 140. I haven’t put the full blog up yet; just the concealer one. Anyways some of the photos are ready, so I’ll post them below, as it shows more lighting.
I wanted to share my thoughts around this clay because it’s one of my staple products I’ve consistently used for years (although I only use a couple of times a month due to the price).
What does sand and sky pink clay mask do?
I bought it because I wanted something to help with my oily skin and to clear out all the rubbish accumulated throughout the day. I also wanted a mask to help (or at least not worsen) my acne.
Detoxifies and brightens the skin
Cruelty-free
Great for clearing oiliness, congestion or pigmentation
Good for acne
This is exactly what S&S does. It detoxes skin by removing dead skin cells, leaving newer skin underneath which makes your skin look brighter. It also helps with acne by reducing inflammation.
from their website at the time of writing – confirmation on what the clay doesn’t include, plus the PETA stamp of approval
from their website at the time of writing – lots of goodies included in the clay
I use https://www.skincarisma.com/ to checkout ingredients in products – it lists everything that might not be suitable (dry/oily skin)
I add ingredients from products into https://www.skincarisma.com which then tells me what that product is good for, and what it’s bad for. As you can see, Sand & Sky Clay ticks lots of boxes, especially the ‘fungal acne’ one which is what I look out for because I suffer with this on my forehead. You’d be surprised at how many acne-fighting products include an ingredient which makes this worse.
How do you use the Sand and Sky clay mask?
You use it like a mask – spreading it thoroughly all over your face with the small brush that comes with it. This is the 60g tub – you’d need to check if it comes with the travel size (I’m not sure it does). Using your fingers is easy too, just a bit messy.
You get the small brush tool in with the price
it goes on shiny pink but within seconds it starts to dry a white colour
Within seconds of it being put on, it starts to dry. It feels really smooth and it’s thick too, so it feels very expensive and you feel hopeful it’s going to do wonders for your face.
excuse the ridiculous face – this is after a few minutes so as you can see, it’s starting to dry thoroughly
my large pores on my nose are visible – this is after around 10 minutes
Excuse the happy face followed by the sad face. I usually clean the bathroom whilst it’s drying hence looking fed-up!
As the pink clay dries, it turns white and tight on your skin. Not too tight it’s unpleasant though. I leave it on for 10-15 minutes then rinse off with cool water. I usually rinse it off in the shower to reduce any mess made but in the sink is easy enough too.
meh bad angle and not the clearest of pics, but as you can see, I’m happy with the result – pores have been completely cleaned out, and reduced in size
What does the clay mask do for skin?
I feel it cleans out the rubbish I’ve accumulated which my other products haven’t picked up.
My pores are clean
blackheads are gone
my skin feels fresh and smooth
any spots are reduced in size/redness
any oiliness is completely removed for a few days (yep, a few days).
I feel 1x or 2x a week is enough for this product, mainly due to the price but as it’s quite a deep clean, my skin might not like it – it’s not good to remove oils from your skin so often because oil is actually healthy for your skin (just not too much of it).
I’d thoroughly recommend this Sand and Sky pink clay mask. It’s a product I’ve used for years, even though it’s expensive (more on that below). I feel like it cleans my skin better than almost anything else.
Should you moisturise after pink clay mask?
Yes! Always after using masks, you need to moisturise afterwards to stop your skin becoming too dry.
Can I leave pink clay mask on overnight?
I personally wouldn’t – the Sand and Sky website says to leave it on for 10 minutes, so this is what I do. It might dry out or irritate skin if left on for too long.
How much does it cost?
It’s around £36.50 depending on where you look for a 60g pot. Several of the usuals have it: Cult Beauty, Beauty Bay. Personally I would visit the Sand & Sky website to see if they’ve got any sales on – at the time of writing this, they’ve got 25% off everything using the code ‘celebrate’.
Failing that, have a nosy around their website then visit YouTube, and a bunch of social media accounts – they might retarget you with an offer.
It’s expensive at £36 now £34 for 60g but worth it – make it last
Unlike the pics above to show what it looks like, I make it last by only putting it sparingly on the bits of my face that need it, such as my oily patches and not putting it on my dry bits (side of nose).
Using it once a week and you’ll get a good 4-6 months out of it. Pretty good going as an average if you ask me!
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I’ve tried lots of natural beauty products – from haircare, to deodorant – I wanted to try this because it only contains natural ingredients. I’m trying to move away from supermarket-sold products that contain lots of nasty things that aren’t good for your body, including aluminum.
The 6 sample pots I got – 5g each for £8.49
From coconut oil to Jojoba oil, it’s vegan and cruelty free, and their packaging is made from sustainable glass jar with bamboo lid – so no plastic. Lots of wins here.
Unfortunately I’ve tried this for just under 4 weeks and honestly, I’ve never been so smelly. I bought the full sample set, £8.49 in total (+£1.49 delivery) containing 6x 5g pots of different smells/types, including:
FRESH – Fresh, fruity and flowery with hints of Jasmine, Bergamot, Patchouli, Vanilla, Orange, and Lavender.
FOREST – Black Spruce, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Lemon all combine perfectly to provide that fresh forest scent
FRUIT – Predominately Orange, Mandarin and Lemon with background hints of Pine and Mint.
SEA BREEZE – Scented with a refreshing blend of Lime, Lemon, Lavender and a subtle hint of Spearmint for extra freshness.
SENSITIVE – This is our baking soda free ‘Sensitive’ version which is suitable for all and any skin types. Lemon, Geranium and Vanilla provide a lovely unisex scent that is sure to keep you smelling fresh all day long.
SIMPLE – Our most simple formula with only 6 ingredients perfectly balanced. Unscented.
As instructed, each morning after a shower, I warmed up a small amount before rubbing into my (dry) pits. Straight away, my pits were wet! Gross – honestly, this doesn’t usually happen, even if I go without any deo on (blame lie-in’s at the weekend). I persevered but by lunchtime, I could smell my pits so I washed and re-applied. I had to do the same each evening, though I couldn’t be bothered to re-apply so I just washed instead. I did this for 4 weeks, so can’t be told I didn’t try. I even went back to my Aurelia natural deodorant when I got really fed up.
Even though it didn’t work for me, I’d recommend trying Simple Effective deo at least. The sample pots are a no-brainer to figure out if it works for you and which smell you like, so you can invest in the bigger pots (from £9.99). As mentioned, it costs just under £10 for the 6 samples (including delivery).
I’m disappointed, especially after reading lots of amazing reviews. It just wasn’t for me.
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