MAX FACTOR SKIN LUMINZER FOUNDATION REVIEW*

Max Factor Skin Luminizer

Hi lovelies! As summer starts to slowly fade away and the weather begins to get cooler, I often find my skin loses the glowy look that it gets in the warmer weather. No I don't mean the sweaty shiny look, but with the help of a bit of sun, my skin generally just seems perkier. As much as I love autumn and winter, I do not love how dull my skin starts to get at this time of year. While I do generally use a gradual tanner year round, I still feel as though my skin needs a little boost and my usual matte finish foundations just aren't going to cut it.

So, when Max Factor very kindly sent me their new 'Skin Luminizer' foundation to try out the timing couldn't have been better! This product claims to be 'the secret to healthy looking, flawless skin' and contains light reflecting particles that create a healthy glow. I have to admit, I was slightly skeptical when I first saw the product, while the white liquid (the 'luminizer', I assume) swirled with the foundation looks pretty, I thought it was perhaps a bit of a gimmick and was worried that it would make the foundation look pale or too glowy, aka disco ball face. However, I swatched it on the back of my hand and was pleasantly surprised to discover a colour that was very true to the one in the bottle and luminous without being glittery.

We all know that a back of the hand swatch is all well and good, but what about the face? Well, I'm oleased to report that this foundation is a winner in all areas. It's an absolute dream to apply and blends so easily. I apply with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, which is perfect for the the job, but it blends so nicely, I think you could just as easily apply this with your fingers if you wanted to. The colour (shade 55, beige) matches my skin perfectly, like seriously perfect, as I think the luminous liquid (probably not it's technical name) helps it to adapt to your skin. The product comes in several shades, luckily including a very light one, 'porcelain', which Max Factor also sent me and while it was far too light for me, it was perfect for my sister, who is very pale and struggles to find foundations that don't look orange on her. This however matched her skin tone beautifully, leaving no telltale streaks at the jaw line, #pethate. 

So, it applies beautifully, the colour match is fab, but does it live up to it's claims? Is it really the secret to gorgeous, healthy, glowy, flawless skin? Honestly, I think so. Don't get me wrong, it's not going to replace a good skincare routine and a little fake tan for me, but it definitely gives me the glowy skin that I so desperately seek at this time of year and that's good enough for me. The coverage is medium, possibly full when built up, but the product itself is super light, so it doesn't look or feel cakey and gross. The light reflecting particles also draw attention away from flaws such as uneven skin tone or dark circles, so you can get away with less product, even if you have problem areas. It's lasting power is above average but nothing to shout about. It will last you through a day at work/ school etc, but will need touching up if you plan to go out afterwards. Set it with a good powder and you're good to go for at least eight hours.

Overall, if like me, you like a little pick me up in the winter and find that your skin gets dull and loses it's glow in the cooler months, this is definitely one to try out. Also, an added bonus that I forgot to mention, this foundation claims to contain a hydrator, to help improve skin condition, so that's fab if your skin is dehydrated after the summer (weeks of lying in the sun anyone?). I haven't been using this quite long enough to comment on that yet, but I can say that my skin definitely feels nice when I use this and doesn't get that dry, flaky look by the end of the day. 

Let me know your thoughts! Have you tried this foundation? Do you like more of a dewy, brightening foundation at this time of year?