It’s been a while since my last foundation review and an even longer time since I actually wore any. #Masklife has made wearing makeup almost redundant. When I graduated a couple months back, I decided to treat myself to some new foundation that I could wear on the day and as I started to go out more.

The foundation reminds me of Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Water Fresh foundation -which I think has been discontinued. Chanel's Vitalumière Aqua has a watery base that allows it to spread easily and sit perfectly on my skin.

Originally, I was planning on buying the Les Beiges foundation but I preferred the feel of the Vitalumière Aqua. It provides a very light coverage but is buildable. If you’re looking for a medium coverage to cover blemishes, this might not be one for you. 

The bottle is sold as 30ml for £36 and has SPF 15. I bought the shade 21 Beige. You can’t always rely on the SPF in foundation so I use Garnier’s Ambre Solaire Face Fluid and top up coverage later in the day with the Over Makeup Mist spray.

I really like the satin-like finish and how my skin glows. I’m the type of person who doesn’t like the look or feel of foundation sitting on top of my skin. This blends in and dries so well, it’s hardly noticeable. 

The consistency is quite runny -it is water based after all- so I’m quite careful in applying it. I think it’s thinner than the Double Wear one. I’ve found that it’s important to have a hydrated base otherwise the foundation is at risk of caking and separating. I tend to pack in the moisture before I apply by using a little Aquafor to help create a tacky base.

The little booklet inside the box recommends applying it with your fingers for best results, which is great if you forget to wash your makeup brushes! It makes sense as well considering it’s water based and you are at risk of losing a lot of product by using brushes and sponges.

The one thing I will say is I haven’t yet mastered putting anything over the top of the foundation such as concealer or blush. As the foundation dries in a thin layer, you are at risk of rubbing it away so I think a liquid blusher would suit best. It’s the type of foundation that sells itself for creating a minimal barely-there look. I don’t think you’ll be able to use it for a full face beat.

I really like Chanel’s Vitalumière Aqua foundation. It’s definitely on the pricier side so is more of a luxury item. I’d consider buying it again if I feel like it’s something I want to spend that type of money on. I may need to increase my budget if it's something I want to make a regular appearance in my makeup collection. At the end of the day, it’s a very lightweight water-based foundation that provides light buildable coverage. It works for me because I prefer a minimal make up look and it suits my needs. 

Love, Aoife xo

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel came out in 2018 and has been on my list for a while. It’s been raved about and I’ve been curious to know what it is about the book that has people so engrossed.

What’s is about (taken from the blurb):

Reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself.

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

My thoughts:

When I picked up this book to read, I did not expect what I would find. I read the whole book in one sitting, eager to find out more about the mysterious Evelyn Hugo. There were so many questions that I had and I loved the way Reid kept me at the edge of my seat throughout the book. Even when a question was answered, another one cropped up.

The book is divided into sections, with each section dedicated to one of the seven husbands. And each sections defines a period in Evelyn’s life. The story and narration flows really well as it switches between the present (Monique’s voice) to past (Evelyn’s voice).

When the book starts, we first meet Monique Grant, a journalist working for a niche magazine. In the entirety of the book, I sympathised with Monique who had been brought on to write the biography of Evelyn Hugo but had so many questions she couldn’t get answers to. What Monique knew and didn’t know was dictated by Evelyn.

Evelyn was an interesting character. She was someone who had lived a life of highs and lows but still struggled with her own identity. At times I sympathised for Evelyn for parts of her life. However, I did think some of her actions were self-inflicted which played with whether she was a likeable or unlikable character. 

The novel ended semi-abruptly -in that you knew things were finishing but you still wanted more- and I think that’s part of the charm of the book and skill of Reid. Evelyn Hugo in her prime was a mysterious woman in the spotlight that people were drawn to and Reid managed to mirror that feeling in the reader.

Overall, I loved this book! Sitting here and writing this review, I’m trying to work out what it is about that I loved. Was it the rawness of Hugo's glamorous and scandalous life? Was it that everything was not as it seemed? Or was it that as the reader you’re questioning who is the real Evelyn Hugo? Regardless of what it was, Reid takes you on a journey of emotions and ties everything up in a neat little bow at the end.

Love, Aoife xo

Love, Aoife xo