In part one, I dealt with the widely available water based fixing sprays, which are a combination of water and acrylics generally, will provide you with entire fixing power to be able to have a sweat throughout the night, and will repel moisture, depending on the formulation. However, they won't make your face bulletproof. In this post I will be dealing with the alcohol and acrylic based sealers, which create a durable film over your make up, keeping products colour true and mostly smudge proof. In the old days, girls would use hair spray over their faces to keep their eye make up from sweating off. These sprays are basically a more refined version of this hairspray trick, and far less drying. For the record, I do NOT recommend spraying a can of Elnett on your face. It will not feel nice or do your skin any favours.
Model in a Bottle - Original Formula
Model in a Bottle is something I discovered when watching some QVC style infomercials and this lovely lady called Jill Stephens was talking about this product that she had invented in honour of her mother, to seal make up all day with zero need for touch ups for an entire day. Being an addict of all things long wearing, I decided to purchase some. So, what does the write up say?......
"Its a one-of-a-kind matte finish setting spray. Model in a Bottle® will hold foundation and eye make-up in place throughout the day and into the night. This product is resistance to smudging, tears, humidity and water.
Dries with a translucent matte finish
Absorbs excess oil
Doesn't clogs pores
Never interferes with or reduces effectiveness of SPF
Is fast drying, never sticky
Adds moisture with aloe vera extract
Is not tested on animals
Contains over 300 sprays per bottle"
Absorbs excess oil
Doesn't clogs pores
Never interferes with or reduces effectiveness of SPF
Is fast drying, never sticky
Adds moisture with aloe vera extract
Is not tested on animals
Contains over 300 sprays per bottle"
So, those are some pretty good claims, and technically, it should last you nearly a year with 300 sprays. So what did I make of it?
Well, it does work, but it's not quite as bulletproof as it claims. Yes it sticks eye make up down like GLUE, and that stuff isn't coming off until you get some proper cleanser and water on them. It is water resistant, so you can splash your face with H20 and your make up also doesn't budge, even if you rub, but it doesn't control oil as well as it claims, and once the oil breaks through, the products protective film starts to break down in those areas.
The other problem is dryness. It's got a rather high alcohol content and anyone with dry skin knows that applying alcohol in products to their parched skin renders it painfully itchy and dry as a bone. This claims to contain moisturising properties but seeing as my skin is oily and this made me dry, AND oily, it's probably not a product is a friend to many. It also does make me very very MATTE. If you're doing a mod look, fine, but most modern techniques involve a desire for a lustrous dewy sheen, at least in the cheekbone area. Also if, like me, you suffer from crepey skin around your eye area, this can suffer and become intense dry and sore from this spray.
So in conclusion, it's a good product to use for the odd occasion, for example, a wedding, or a shopping trip when you don't want any transfer when you're trying on all the clothes in the world and pulling them over your head constantly. However, daily use doesn't translate into happy facial skin, as I found out. It also has a habit of squirting aggressively at your face in a single stream after using it a few times, as the nozzles gets clogged, which can be quite the nasty surprise.
If you do want to investigate this product and/or purchase it, please visit their official website HERE or purchase it at the wonderful Love Make Up for the vaguely reasonable price of £16.99.
Diego Dalla Palma Make Up Fixer
I first heard about this iconic brand a few years ago when make up blogs around the country were picking their jaws up off the floor regarding their short lived collaboration with Tesco in 2011, given the fact that no other uk store had ever stocked the brand previously. I decided to research them, and it turned out that the make up artist, Diego himself, was a bit of a cult figure amongst make up artists, and had been tagged " The prophet of make-up made in Italy " in the New York Times.
Anyway, during my research I saw this make up sealing spray mentioned again and again by make up artists as an essential part of their kit. I recently happened upon it whilst visiting my mother in the North, so snapped it up and excitedly spritzed it over my face as soon as I could. First though, lets see what it claims to do....
"Fixing spray for make-up. The formula guarantees perfect make-up for hours on end.
Sprayed on the face, in a second it fixes make-up for the whole day.
It creates a fine film without drying the skin."
Well, they certainly couldn't be accused of going overboard on the write up claims. Succinct!
So, my findings on this were as follows. It doesn't mattify, but it does seal, so a big thumbs up on that. It is in a spray can that easily spritzes your face, and it does sting a little, but it's going to, it's full of alcohol, just make sure you keep your eyes closed! There are two ways for this to be used during your application. Before make up to control sweat and oil production, and as a barrier to the products you'll lay over it. Then after the make up to seal it in. If you do this, your make up is basically bulletproof, and not flat as with the other spray, which is a relief. However, after using it a few days in a row I did break out in a bumpy red spray of spots, so again, I don't think this is great for skin.
If you would like to snap this up, you can do so in selected Tesco's, Debenhams and Marks and Spencers, and online, as well as direct from the manufacturers website HERE or Look Fantastic for £15.00.
I hope this has been of some informative use to you. I am in the process of trying to get my hands on Mehron and a couple of other setting sprays used in theatrical settings to review for you. As always, i'm out there, oily and sweaty, just for the greater good of you lot....
No comments:
Post a Comment